Another Road
by ShawThang
Summary: --COMPLETE--AU- Another take on how Buffy could have been called to become Slayer. NEW-CHAPTER 32 UP! The final battle is about to begin...
1. The Great Escape

****

Title- Another Road

****

Summary-Another take on how Buffy could have been called to become Slayer. She is rescued by a blond stranger and finds herself enrolled in Angel's School for the Gifted, but the gifted are not ordinary students.

****

Disclaimer- Not mine! All characters belong to Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon.

****

Rating- PG, I suppose.

****

* * * * *

Chapter 1

* * * * *

Buffy groaned as she searched fruitlessly through her bag for her schoolbooks. She had totally forgotten about the essay that her Biology teacher assigned her two weeks ago, and now she had two days to write six hundred words. She wouldn't even write fifty if she didn't find those damned books.

"Bloody stupid chromosomes." She grumbled as she threw her bag down in disgust, no books in sight. Now she had to think of a plausible excuse to tell her teacher. Buffy collapsed onto her bed and gazed at the glow in the dark stars plastered over her roof. This was the third time she had forgotten her books, and the fourth time she had forgotten about an assignment. Her marks were dropping and her teachers were starting to get really agitated with her. 

Well it wasn't her fault. Not really. Okay, well maybe a little bit. She _did _forget her books and she _did _forget to actually do her homework. Who really cared anyway? Other than her teachers, no one did. Her parents certainly didn't. If her parents stopped fighting long enough for Buffy to ask for help with her homework then they might be able to help her. Not likely. As if on cue, her mother's reprimanding voice drifted through the window, and she realized that they were now on the veranda.

She snorted in disgust and rolled onto her stomach, reaching over and switching her stereo on. She turned it up full blast, so that it drained out the sounds of her parents' raised voices. She closed her eyes and moved her head to the music; the hypnotic beat lulling her into a false security. She could no longer hear her parent's voices. She could no longer hear the screams and yells, the constant nagging and reprimanding. Nothing in this house could stop their disputes. Damn her parents.

The noise of smashing glass broke her trance and her eyes snapped open. A black figure tumbled through her window and into the room and Buffy shrieked, jumped off her bed and backed away. Her back hit the wall and she glanced about wildly for an escape route. The man was blocking the door and as he straightened she could see that she had no chance of escape. His tall, robust build and black clothing did nothing to calm Buffy and his bleached hair clashed against his unnaturally pale skin.

"Who the hell are you?"

He looked straight at her, his piercing blue eyes sweeping over her body. He smirked, a cocky, self-confident grin, and held up his hands in mock surrender. 

"No time to explain, pet. I ain't gonna hurt you, but you need to come with me now."

"Not gonna harm me? You fly through my window looking like someone from the Matrix crossed with Billy Idol and you expect me to believe that?" Buffy crossed her arms defiantly, glaring at the intruder.

"Well, if you want to live to see tomorrow then I'm afraid you have to." His nonchalant words sent a chill down her spine.

"What?"

" Afraid you're being hunted by some not-to-happy demons who want to play skippy with your intestines. You want that to happen?" At her vehement shaking head he nodded and held out his hand across the bed. " Then you have to trust me."

"What? No way! You could be trying to kidnap me for ransom. I'm not stupid, you know. I could scream once and my parents will come running. How'd you get past them anyway?"

"I ate them." He grinned again and Buffy looked startle, trying to decide whether he was joking. "No seriously, they call themselves parents? They couldn't look after a bloody kitten!" 

Buffy opened her mouth to scream but he held up his hands and took a step back.

"Look, would you believe me if I said you are in serious danger?"

"No." But as soon as the word left her mouth another figure came hurtling through the window. He stood up and Buffy could see his horribly deformed face, yellow eyes and sharp fangs. "What the…"

The blonde growled and sent a punch flying into the thing's head. He quickly followed it with an uppercut and then jabbed a wooden stake through its heart. It crumbled to dust and Buffy stared at the spot where it had been standing not a moment before, stunned to silence. She raised her head and stared at the man in front of her.

"That's just one of hundred that are coming to find you. Wanna stay and meet them?" He held his hand towards her again.

Buffy hesitated; glancing at the door where she wished her parents would burst through and help her. However, the door stayed empty, and she shook her head in frustration before taking the offered hand. He grabbed it tightly, and she shivered at the coldness of his skin. He hauled her over the bed and towards the window, nearly causing her to shout in surprise when he effortlessly lifted her and un-ceremonially threw her outside. She picked herself of the ground as the blonde man landed with a grunt beside her. He motioned her to follow him and as they crossed the impoverished front yard Buffy could see the black motorbike resting against the tree.

A loud warrior cry echoed down the deceptively deserted street, and Buffy couldn't believe her eyes when a troop of motorbikes and cars raced towards them. The man cursed loudly and dragged her onto the seat behind him. He gunned the bike into acceleration and it skidded before shooting down the road in the opposite direction.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw the horde closing in on them.

"They're getting closer!" She yelled over the clamor of the numerous engines. "You 'gotta go faster!" 

She gave a yelp and clutched his waist tighter when they suddenly accelerated. 

"You alright back there, bit?"

"Just bloody peachy." He laughed at her sarcasm and they swerved past an on coming car. Buffy winced as she heard the screeching tires and the crunch of metal hitting metal. Suddenly another three motorbikes appeared beside them and she saw the same deformed faces. He cursed and swerved into a park.

They veered around the slide and then the swing set, trying to shake of their pursuers. They burst through the shrubs and onto the highway, skidding into the oncoming traffic. Buffy screamed and ducked her head, waiting for the inevitable screech of tires and feeling of falling.

However, it didn't come, and when she opened her eyes again they were surging down the highway towards Los Angeles, and away from Sunnydale, the place where she had lived the first sixteen years of her life.

"What?" she mumbled into his leather duster.

"We lost 'em in the traffic. They won't hurt you now," he said, keeping his eyes trained on the road.

"What the hell were they?" Buffy asked.

"Vampires," he replied, turning around to grin at her.

She gaped, unable to come up with any coherent answer. When she finally managed to choke out words, she said, "OK, let's say these _vampires _were after me. Why?"

His grin widened, and his eyes took on a mischievous gleam.

"Because you are the Vampire Slayer."

Again, all she, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, could do was stare back at him.

* * * * *

__

This chapter just came to me while I was typing another story, so I just began to write (type) and it all came out. My fingers are so naughty; they won't listen to me and they just type whatever they want to. Anyway tell me what you think, and if I should continue.


	2. Angel's School for the Gifted

__

Disclaimer and summary on first page.

Thanks to those who reviewed! Here's the next chapter, so enjoy!

* * * * 

****

Chapter 2

* * * *

"Ouch!"

Buffy woke with a start when she felt the sharp pinch on her arm.

"We're here." 

She turned to find the blond man sitting behind her on the bike. She didn't know when she had fallen asleep or when he had stopped to move her in front of him into the safety of his arms. 

"A simple shake would do." she grumbled, rubbing at the sore spot on her arm.

"No it didn't. I already tried it, pet." he said as he dismounted the bike, holding out his hand to her. She took it and again shivered at his cold skin.

Once they were off the bike, Buffy turned and found herself in front of a dozen wide, stone steps. She followed them with her eyes, and stared at the huge, brick building. It had multiple stories and many windows, and was quite a bright and pleasant structure. She raised her head and saw gargoyles lining the roof, and from them dangled many green vines that traveled down the building and clung to the bricks. Her eyes followed the vines and then they rested on the huge double doors, the stained glass windows above it and then above that, the brass sign.

"Angel's School for the Gifted?" she asked amazement.

"Yep. Come on, I'm already late as it is." he began to jog up the stairs and after a moment she hurried to catch up with him. They arrived at the doors and he opened a gray box and pushed a small, red button.

Buffy stared at the windows above the door. It was beautiful in a tragic, sorrowful way. Hideous demons and creatures snarled and roared in front of a blood red background, and above them, divine angels aimed arrows and stakes from a brilliant blue sky. It was an eerie picture, but amazing nonetheless.

"Welcome to Angel's School for the Gifted. Please state your name and business." a cheerful female voice floated through an intercom within the box.

"Spike," he said into the box, "I got the new Slayer." Then he turned to Buffy and gestured her forward. "Say your name, love." he whispered.

"Uh...Buffy." she said awkwardly. 

She didn't know why she was following this man or trusting him, but the blend of last night's events, her weariness, and her fright made her too confused and tired to question him or try to run.

"Welcome, Spike and Buffy. You may enter." the cheerful voice said.

There was a sound of a mechanical lock disengaging, and then Spike pushed the doors open and walked inside. Buffy hesitated, before stepping cautiously inside. 

Just before the doors swung shut, the female's voice floated through the intercom again. "Oh, Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"Angel said that you're already late, so you must go to his office straight away." she giggled.

Buffy thought she heard Spike mutter something along the lines of 'bloody poof', but then said aloud of his shoulder: "Sure thing, Fred. Thanks."

"No problem, Spike." the voice replied before the line was disconnected and the door slammed shut behind Buffy.

"Spike?" she asked, as he led her down a long hallway, a small smile coming to her lips. "What sort of a name is that?" 

"What sort of a name is Buffy?" he retorted sharply, but there was no anger in his voice. She grinned, and she could see him struggle to conceal his own amusement.

She studied the hallway as they walked down it, noticing the high roof and stone pillars. The walls on either side of them were a dark, polished wood, and they were covered in tapestries and paintings. All the artwork was of fantasy creatures, mainly demonic, and they were all grim portrayals of death and destruction. _What kind of a school is this anyway? _She thought to herself.

Finally, they arrived at a dead end and she glanced at him expectantly, but he only stared at the wall.

"Peaches." he said, and she knew that Spike was insane. Who the hell kidnaps girls from vampires, drives a motorbike like a stunt man, then talks of fruit to walls?

However, her thoughts of Spike's sanity were interrupted when the wall swung open, to reveal a concealed room. She realized that 'peaches' must be a password of some sort. Spike swaggered inside, and she stared at his back in stunned silence. Then, carefully, she followed his steps and found herself in a comfortably large, but not too large, and homely room. A window looked out into a magnificent garden, and delicate, red velvet curtains were tied back with gold rope. In the center of the room were four luxurious chairs, and beyond them was a grand oak desk. The four chairs were occupied by teenagers that appeared to be her own age, and behind the desk sat a muscular, brunette man. His face was currently set in a stony, annoyed expression that he aimed at Spike as he sauntered into the room. 

"Spike, you would do well to knock before you enter." he said in a deep voice.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you? I brought her. They'd already found out by the time I got there. The buggers sent some fledgling gang after her." as he said this, the brunette, that Buffy assumed was Angel, turned his attention to her, and the irritation in his eyes disappeared. 

"You are Buffy, I assume?" he said and she nodded uncertainly. "I'm Angel, owner and principle of ASG," he said, confirming her previous guess.

"ASG?" she asked timidly.

He laughed a deep throaty laugh. "Sorry. It's the abbreviation of Angel's School for the Gifted."

"Oh." she said, feeling beyond stupid.

"Now," he said, turning his attention to the four students in front of him. "I'll get you settled into your rooms and then you can go for the tour. Your classes will commence the day after tomorrow, so I recommend you go through your books and then rest. If you have any problems, find a teacher and they will gladly answer any of your questions. OK?" After receiving four nods and murmured accents, he called out, "Fred?"

A small, petite woman appeared in the door.

"Can you please take these students to their rooms? After they are settled in, they will need the tour."

"Sure thing, Angel." she said, and Buffy recognized her as the cheerful voice in the intercom.

The four students stood and made their way past her, each sending her anxious smiles. The red head smiled and mouthed a quick, silent hello, which Buffy returned. Then they disappeared through the door, and she was alone with Angel and Spike.

"Buffy, why don't you take a seat?" Angel said, motioning for the seats. She walked over and sat on one of them.

"Spike! Window!" she jumped at his irked tone and turned to find Spike lighting a cigarette. He rolled his eyes and strolled to the window.

"Now, Buffy. Welcome. Have you any idea of why you're here?"

She bit her lip. "Uh...no."

"You do know that you are the Slayer, though?"

"Yeah, Spike mentioned something about it. What's a Slayer?" she asked.

His eyes widened in disbelief, then flashed with anger. "Spike, you didn't even explain it to her?"

"Well, I didn't really get a bloody chance now did I?" he replied.

"What do you mean?"

"By the time I got there, the bleedin' gang was already on her street, so I just grabbed her and ran."

"You _kidnapped _her?" Angel roared, pacing behind his desk.

"It was either that or let her die!" he answered indignantly, obviously unfazed by the owner's ire.

"My God. So, she doesn't know what she is, what she's doing here, or even what this place is? What about her parents? They're going to be frantic, calling the police. We _do not _kidnap out students."

By this time, Buffy was terrified by the two men in front of her. They continued arguing about her, and she sat rigidly on the seat.

"Spike, get out. Go...do something that's not in this half of the building." Angel grumbled finally.

Spike flicked the cigarette butt out the window and strode from the room, and Angel slumped into his seat.

"Sorry about that. I can't believe he just...You're probably thinking us insane, aren't you?"

"Uh...something along those lines." she replied weakly.

"That is not normal procedure. We usually offer the students a place in our school for free, and the parents usually give their permission. We don't impose a fee, so you can see, our students are often allowed to enroll here."

"Oh, OK."

"I'm going to make an exception for you though, because you are the Slayer, and that requires different obligations on our part."

"Uh...sir?" Buffy said.

"Angel, Buffy."

"Angel? What is the Slayer?" she asked.

He sighed, then leant forward, leaning on his desk. "Buffy, do you believe in monsters?"

She snorted. "No."

"Well, everything you never believed was true, is real. All those monsters under your bed are real. Vampires, werewolves, witches and demons are all real." he paused, taking in her doubtful expression.

"You're crazy." was all she said.

He chuckled. "You may believe so. But I am not. All these things are real. And you, the Slayer, are destined to fight them. Unto each generation a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the strength and the skill to fight the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers."

Buffy stared at the man opposite her. "What?"

He dropped his head and sighed. "Buffy, you have extraordinary strength and fighting skill. You have been chosen by the powers that be to fight against evil, and it is your destiny. Every time a Slayer dies, a new one is called, and it is your turn."

Buffy swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "I-I have to f-fight vampires?"

"Yes, and many other demons."

"But...if I'm the Slayer, doesn't that mean that another one has...has died?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Kendra- she was the last Slayer- was killed three days ago. She fought over the hell mouth in Jamaica."

"How old was she?"

Angel hesitated, "She was seventeen."

"Seventeen? My God...she wasn't even legitimate. Why...so young?" she asked, ignoring the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach that deepened with every question.

"Slayers aren't known to have a lengthy life span. Eventually, they will make a mistake, and it will cost them their lives." he said this slowly and morosely, obviously not taking pleasure in telling her this.

Buffy absorbed this information in silence, grateful that Angel allowed her a few minutes to compose herself.

"What if I don't want to be the Slayer?" she asked suddenly.

"Buffy, it is your duty. You have been called..."

"Well un-call me!" she shouted angrily, struggling to keep the tears from falling.

"You can't." Angel said.

"I don't want to fight vampires and demons!" she yelled, "I want to go home, go to school and chat to my friends about makeup and boys! I never asked for this." 

She finished by slamming her fist onto the chair next to her. The seat snapped and crumbled to the ground in a pile of wood. She stared at it in horror, then looked at Angel.

"How...what?"

"Slayers have incredible strength. You will find that your speed and instincts will improve drastically over the next few days." 

Buffy slumped further into her seat.

"Why am I here?" she asked quietly.

"As you can tell by its name, ASG is a school for the gifted. The students here aren't gifted intellectually, but rather by their unique powers. Did you see the red hair girl who walked by you?" Buffy nodded. "Willow is a witch. She only recently discovered her power, and we brought her here to hone her powers and teach her about magic. I have never seen such power in such a young girl before. Truly, she is gifted. And did you see the pretty brunette? Cordelia is a seer. She receives visions of attacks before they occur. Another exceptional girl. And that short boy? He is a werewolf. He was bitten last week and luckily we found out before he transformed. Other than three days a month during the full moon, he is a normal boy. Xander can move faster than the human eye. Those four are also new to this school."

"What exactly does this school do?"

"We offer the usual classes such as math's, English and science, but we also offer other classes, such as History of Demons, Vampire Study, Self Defense, and other personalized classes. Willow will attend a Wiccan and Witch study, Cordelia will attend a Seer class, and you will attend the Slayer class."

"But how can there be a class if I'm the only Slayer?"

"There are other girls who show signs of being the Slayer. They are called Potentials, and they attend this school in case, uh..."

"In case I die." she said flatly.

"Yes, well, yes. They are trained nonetheless. Anyway classes will resume Monday to Friday as normal schools, and on Saturday and Sunday you are free to do as you please. Most students go home to visit their parents, but now, with the kidnapping, I have no idea what to do."

Buffy felt it necessary to stand up for Spike, "If Spike hadn't I would be dead now."

"Yes, I fear you are right. Nevertheless, I am at a loss as how to proceed. Anyway, we can talk about this later. Are there any more questions?"

"Ah, just one. How am I supposed kill these demons?"

"Ah, good question. Most nights you will go out and patrol, meaning you will search the streets for vampires, demons or any evil creatures, and kill them. Your Watcher will give you more information."

"What's a Watcher?"

"Every Slayer is assigned a Watcher. A Watcher..."

"Watches?" she offered.

"Uh, not exactly. They train the Slayer to fight, guide them and give them instructions and aim to turn her into an unbeatable warrior. I will introduce you to yours once he returns." he said, then once again called out, "Fred!" 

The small brunette appeared again.

"Fred will take you to your room so you can...well you can't unpack since you don't have any clothes, but she'll get you settled in. Then she can take you for a tour with the others. Breakfast is at nine in the hall; classes start at ten and finish about three. Lunch is at one and dinner is at six. Since today and tomorrow are the weekend, breakfast will be at ten, lunch at two and dinner at six. OK?"

Buffy nodded, bided him goodbye and followed Fred out of the office. Her mind whirled with the information she had just received, and it was making her dizzy. Fred chatted nonstop about how nice all the teachers and students were, using her arms in exaggerated gestures, and Buffy trudged alone the hall behind her. They turned a corner and Buffy stared at the circling stairway. The steps were marble and twisted in a helix beneath a large dome. It rose all the way to the top floor, and above that floor was a clear dome that allowed the sunlight to enter and give natural light.

She drew in a breath and mounted the first few stairs.

"Slayer." 

She spun around and saw Spike leaning against the banister, hands shoved in the pockets of his black jeans.

"You all right?" he asked, and Buffy saw that he was actually concerned.

"Uh...I think so." she answered truthfully. Maybe she could get used to this place.

"You got any problems, you come to me, OK, pet?" 

She nodded. "How can I find you?" 

He smirked, "You'll find me." Then he quickly sauntered away, and Buffy turned back to the stairs. She saw Fred still ascending the stairs, chatting to herself. 

Shaking her head at the weirdness that had been her night and morning, she hurried to catch up with Fred, curious to explore the school.

* * *

__

So what did you think? I had to explain the school in this chapter, and next we meet the gang and the teachers! Review!


	3. Tours to Breakfast

__

Thanks for the reviews! They're helping a lot, and your suggestions are very helpful. I've decided to include a few of them, because they work very well with my story. 

Will it be B/S or B/A? Well, reader that is up to YOU! Review and tell me what you want.

Keep your suggestions coming. Anyway, onto the next chapter...

* * * * 

****

Chapter 3

* * * * 

Buffy followed Fred down a long, wide corridor much like the first one she had seen, and was surprised at the amount of doors on both sides.

"How many rooms are there?" she asked.

"Oh, about seven hundred. There are six stories in this building, not including the basement. The first two are used for classrooms and offices, and the other four are the dormitories. There's one hundred and seventy-five rooms on each floor."

Buffy gave a low whistle, looking at the silent doors. Was it always this quiet?

"Oh, heaven no!" she said when Buffy put her question forth. "It's only ever like this on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Any other time, the halls are jam packed with screams and laughs and chatter, and it's impossible to hear yourself think!" she giggled.

Buffy raised her eyebrows doubtfully, but kept her skepticism to herself.

"This is your room, Buffy." Fred chirped, pushing open a door and urging her into the room. "I'll be back in ten to take you for the tour."

She walked through the door and swept her eyes over the entire room. It was small, but not overly so, and there were three beds, each fronting a wall. Two of them were occupied by the redhead she had seen earlier- Willow, she recalled- and the brunette who she remembered was Cordelia. They glanced up from unpacking when she entered the room.

"Hi," she said uncertainly.

They smiled and waved 'hello' and ushered her inside, closing the door behind her.

"I'm Buffy." she introduced herself. "And your Willow and Cordelia?"

"Yeah," said Cordelia, "But call me Cordy. How'd you know?"

"I'm psychic," she grinned.

"Oh really?" Willow asked, "Is that your gift?"

__

Gift? Buffy thought with confusion then widened her eyes when it dawned on her. "Oh no! Me physic?" she snorted. 

"Then what freaky thing can you do?" Cordelia asked, offense not intent by her tone.

"I...uh." Buffy wasn't ready to think about being the Slayer herself, let alone discuss it with two girls who she'd barely met. It was still too painful. "I'm...Hey, you're a seer aren't you?" she asked as a pathetic attempting to change the subject.

Fortunately, Cordelia took the bait and launched into an in-depth description of her visions, and how she had been discovered by Angel's co-workers. Buffy sat down on the only vacant bed as she listened to her tale. Willow continued to unpack her suitcase and fold her clothes neatly into the set of drawers beside her bed. She noticed that each bed had them, and that Cordelia's were already bursting with clothes despite her still unpacked third suitcase.

Buffy's concentration began to wane as Cordelia spoke about a young man, the one who had found her, and his 'totally fine body' and his 'intense eyes'. She caught Willow's eye and the other girl rolled her eyes at Cordelia's back, forcing Buffy to stifle her giggles by coughing.

Once Cordy had finished her tirade, Buffy turned to Willow.

"You're a witch, right?"

"Yeah, though I had no idea until two days ago. I can't believe I'm really here!" she breathed.

"I know. It's weird and unbelievable, but I'm curious to see what it's all about." Buffy said.

"I can't wait to see what they teach seers here! I mean, what's there to learn? You just get visions when they're sent to you, it's not like you can say 'here vision-visions' and they come with their tail between their legs!"

Buffy and Willow exchanged as amused look at Cordelia's imagery.

"Buffy, you never told us what you're here for." Willow said suddenly, and her and Cordelia turned to face her with curious expressions.

Buffy gulped and glanced down at her hands folded in her lap. She knew she would have to tell them eventually, but it felt that she would truly be the Slayer if she told them. She drew in a deep breath.

"I-I..." she took another deep breath then tried again, "I'm the Slayer." 

Cordelia's eye flew wider and Willow gasped.

"Oh! So you're a potential, huh? You must feel so bad, waiting for the next Slayer to die so you can get your powers." Cordelia gushed.

Willow rolled her eyes again while Buffy stared at the brunette.

"Cordy," Willow said exasperated, "Buffy isn't _a _Slayer, she's _the _Slayer."

Cordelia narrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Yeah I know...Oh!" her hand flew to her mouth, "_The _Slayer. Oh crap, I'm so sorry!" 

Buffy felt the urge to storm out of the room, but Cordelia's innocent expression made a gush of laughter escape her lips instead. Willow followed suit, and soon the three of them were rolling on the floor in giggles.

"Uh...girls?" The three of them stopped and gulped for air, and saw Fred standing in the doorway, Xander and Oz right behind her.

They scrambled to stand, straightening their disordered clothing. 

"You girls ready for the tour?" Fred asked.

They shot each other grins and nodded.

"OK, this way."

After shutting and locking their door, the three girls and two boys followed the lively Fred through the building.

"How _cool _is this place?" Xander said enthusiastically. "It's like a castle. I won't even be able to find the kitchen!" His face turned to one of horror, and Buffy grinned while Willow gave him a light punch and Cordelia giggled. 

"Xand, you can't be hungry yet! You had eight of my mum's pancakes this morning!" Willow said, but Xander's stomach protested vehemently and he grinned sheepishly.

"Are you two friends?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah, me and Will go way back." Xander said, slinging his arm around her and then snaking his other arm around Cordelia's shoulder. "And me and Cordy here will be very close _very _soon."

The comment earned him another punch, and he rubbed his arm while grumbling about 'woman'.

Oz said nothing, but kept a slight, amused smile on his lips. 

They were shown the four dormitories and then Fred led them down to the two bottom floors.

Door after door showed them the various classes. One held wands, herbs, cauldrons and candles for Witchery studies, and Cordy and Buffy had to forcefully drag Willow away from it. Another was filled with orbs, telescopes, and crystal balls, and they were told this was where the seers were taught. 

Suddenly, a loud bell rang through the halls.

"What was that?" Xander exclaimed.

"That was the wake up bell. The students will be getting ready for breakfast now."

They came to a grand, carved double door that reached the roof. The five students gazed at it in awe, and Fred told them that this led to the library.

Xander strained against the weight of the door, and Buffy, seeing his struggle, pushed the doors open with ease using only her fingertips. Xander glanced at her in surprise.

"What the hell are you? Superwoman?" he asked.

"You're the Slayer." Oz said simply, more of a declaration than a question.

"Uh...yeah." she said, waiting for the uncomfortable looks and whispered 'freak' comments. However, none came, and she smiled when Oz said, "Cool," and walked past her without any hint of sarcasm.

"Well, now I know who to go to when I need some extra muscle." Xander said, slinging his arm around her shoulders, earning him groans from both Willow and Cordelia.

They entered the library and Xander gave a low whistle.

"What would they use all these books for?" he asked.

"To read, Xander. That's why books were created, so that people can _read _them." Willow said as Cordelia sniggered.

The library was particularly big. _Huge_ was a better word to describe it. The walls were hidden by shelves of books and in the center were over ten rows of shelves. Books of all shapes and sizes occupied every inch of these shelves. In each corner they were about three couches where students could lounge to read leisurely and on the other side of the library were three long tables that were obviously used for private study. 

"Come on, we've got to get to the hall for breakfast." Fred called from the door, and they hurried over to her. They walked through the twisting halls and came back to the helix staircase.

Fred walked around the stairs and Buffy saw that they hid a large red curtain. Their brunette guide pulled on a gold cord and the curtains drew apart to reveal another room. It was nearly twice the size of the library and was scattered with an abundance of circular tables.

"This is the dining room. It's used to all meals or assemblies. Go on now, breakfast will be soon." she urged them through, then disappeared.

The five of them found a small table near the stage and sat down. The same bell that had sounded before now echoed through the hall. A moment later, students began to pour through the entrance, and Buffy stared in wonder as the hall began to fill. Within a few minutes, the room was full with screams, laughter and chatter, much like Fred had said. 

The students seemed to be under eighteen, but they ranged from seven to seventeen. Boys and girls alike sat at the tables chattering, waiting for breakfast to appear.

A moment later, nuns trickled from a small door at the side of the stage, and a cheer erupted from the crowd. They carried plates of delicious smelling food. Pancakes, croissants, eggs, donuts, toast, milk and juices were brought to every table, and within five minutes everybody was digging in. 

"This is heaven." Xander said, and everybody, mouths too full with food to answer, nodded their heads with hearty agreement.

After fifteen minutes, when the plates were nearly empty and many stomachs were full, Buffy saw Angel enter the hall and make his way toward the stage, succeeded by unfamiliar adults. They filed onto the stage and when Angel held up his hand, silence fell.

"Good morning students. I trust you slept well. First, I would like to announce that we've been joined by a few new students. If you see them in the halls, please kindly welcome them to our home. Secondly, to the students who thought it amusing to try and lock Dennis in the toilets, be assured that he is now fully recovered and has been permitted two days to where the teachers shall be blind to his behavior and actions."

Buffy noticed with amusement that a fleshy, blonde boy sitting on the table beside her own turned a sickly green.

"Thirdly, I would like to introduce a new teacher to this school. Mr Giles, would you please stand forward?" 

A middle-aged man stepped forward and bowed his head slightly to a scatter of lukewarm applause.

"He will be the new librarian, among helping with other circumstances." Buffy noticed his gaze lock onto her, and she presumed that this man would be working with her Slayer duties. Her new Watcher, maybe?

"Now, please finish your breakfast. The students planning on returning home for the weekend must be ready with packed bags by ten. Those preparing for an excursion into the city, the bus will be leaving at nine forty-five, which is in exactly five minutes. Moreover, those remaining here, the garden has been opened so feel free to wander. The first floor is restricted as customary, so please do not disobey. That will be all." 

Buffy watched curiously as students scrambled to get ready. 

"So, what are you girls doing today?" Xander asked, digging into yet another syrup-laden pancake.


	4. Secret Garden

__

Thanks for the reviews! I'm writing a lot faster now, so you guys keep on reading! I'm going to answer a few more questions you probably have over the next few chapters, and also introduce some familiar faces. Anyway, here's another chapter so enjoy!

****

* * * *

Chapter 4

* * * *

Buffy was surprised when the hall emptied just as quickly as it had filled. She was left sitting at the table with her newfound friends as the students hastened to get ready. They had no idea what to do, but then a nun shooed them out, so they stood awkwardly on the main staircase.

Fred appeared from the hallway with a harried expression and spotted them. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Uh...we don't know where to go." Willow admitted, ducking her head.

"Oh, of course! I'm sorry, I should have told you. Right, well if students don't go home or into the city, they usually either spend time in the library or the garden. You're allowed in the dormitories, but not many prefer to stay inside. The garden's on the roof. There's a ladder and a trap door at the end of the sixth floor that'll take you there." 

She glanced at her watch with a frown. "I've got to go, but if you have any trouble, just call for Dennis!" she said over her shoulder as she hurried down corridor.

"Who's Dennis?" Cordelia asked and received only shrugs.

"Well?" Xander said, "Let's go find this garden."

"What if someone wants to go to the library?" Willow asked.

"Wills, if anyone other than you wants to go to the library, I'll skip lunch."

When no one said anything he nodded and said, "See? Let's go."

Willow scowled but followed nonetheless.

The trooped up the stairs and arrived at the sixth floor panting and wheezing, except for Buffy who only grinned.

"Slackers." she said.

They treaded down the hallway, and groaned when they arrived at a dead end.

"Who were we supposed to call if we had trouble?" Oz asked.

"Dennis!" Buffy called as she remembered his name. 

Suddenly, Cordelia gave a shriek, and Buffy saw her hair pulled upright. It stood on its end, and Cordelia began to wail.

"Are you Dennis?"

Xander yelped as his head was moved in a nodding motion.

"Can you tell us where the garden is?" Buffy asked, and again Xander's head nodded. 

"Ow, ow, ow!" he said as his ear was pulled, and his body followed his stretched ear to the wall.

Two knocks sounded down the corridor and the wall swung open to reveal a ladder. They thanked Dennis and climbed up the ladder consecutively. As Buffy was first, she pushed the trapdoor open and scrambled into the sun. She averted her eyes from the harsh glare of sunlight, then when it turned into a dull light she glanced around at her surroundings.

It was very _green._ That was the first thought that popped into her head. The lush grassed areas were spattered with tall, leafy trees and many, various sized shrubs. Flowers sprung from the green carpet in multiple colors. Benches lined a paved pathway that snaked through the shrubbery and came out into a basketball court where students were playing a fast paced game. Beyond the court was an open terrain where clusters of small children were lounging on the grass or throwing a red ball to each other.

"Oasis, much?" Cordelia said, gazing about in approval. Xander looked giddy with excitement, and Oz had already started towards the basketball court.

They made their way down the path with Oz in the lead, then Cordelia and Xander, and Buffy and Willow bringing up the end. Buffy noticed Xander lean over toward to brunette, and then smiled in amusement when Cordelia slapped him on the shoulder with a furious expression.

"He's a shocker." 

Buffy glanced at the redhead beside her in confusion, "Huh? Who?"

"Xander. Look at them, they're so obvious." she smiled and shook her head. "He's so into her, and she pretends she can't stand him, but you can see she loves it. They're always touching each other, it's totally gross."

Buffy laughed and saw that they did take every opportunity to make contact. "Were you friends before you came here? With Cordelia, I mean?"

"Friends?" she snorted, "More like life enemies. We've know each other since crèche, but before we came here the only time she spoke to me was to tell me to get out of her way. You know the type; gorgeous, rich, popular, cheerleader, total bitch..." 

Buffy bit her lip while Willow talked about all the run ins she'd had with Cordelia. Only one day ago she had been that girl Willow was describing. She'd been the pretty and popular one, the bitchy cheerleader. Rich? She hadn't been rich, but no one would have known that by the state of her wardrobe. She would have teased and tormented Willow had the redhead came to her school. She winced when all the bitchy incidents came flooding back to her.

Had she really been so horrible? Yes, that and so much more. From what Willow was telling her of Cordelia's high school exploits, it sounded as though she could have been a sound competitor in the bitch stakes.

"But her and Xander have always been at heads with each other, they're forever insulting each other. Anyone can tell they're flirting, but they'd never admit it." Willow was saying, "And then all of a sudden, she's talking to us like we've been friends for years. So I thought, maybe as well hang around with her since we don't know anyone else."

Buffy nodded and watched the two supposed 'enemies' and saw where Willow was coming from. 

"Yep, definite vibes coming from the two of them." 

They had arrived at the basketball court, and she saw that Oz was already being included in the game. The four of them sat beneath the shade of a tall tree beside the court. Buffy leant against the tree trunk, Willow lay on her stomach and Xander and Cordelia sat cross-legged opposite them.

They remained seated until an attractive, young nun came over, a friendly smile on her face.

"Aren't you kids going out today?" 

"No, we're new here, so we don't exactly know what we're going to do." Willow explained.

"Oh!" the nun settled onto the grass between Xander and Cordelia. "In that case, I'm Jenny."

After a few introductions Xander asked, "Uh, not being rude or nothing, but shouldn't nuns be like, I don't know, _against _all this magic and demon stuff?" 

She appeared about ten years younger when she laughed. Her eyes twinkled with amusement, and the skin around them crinkled. Buffy couldn't estimate what her actual age was, but she appeared to be thirty or so.

"Oh trust me, we would be _very_ against all this if it weren't for Angel saving us from a burn out." she said.

"Burn out?" asked Willow curiously.

"Vampires set our convent on fire to lure us out so they could just pick us off one by one." she said with a shrug. "If it weren't for Angel and his gang we wouldn't be alive today. When he offered us a home here, we gladly accepted. Hence, we live here and help out during meal times and with the cleaning."

"Wow." Xander said, "So Angel, Mr. Stiff and Proper, actually _fights _the vampires?" he asked dubiously.

"Of course he does! Did you think he'd be a _normal _principle and just sit in his office all day with him being like he is? Angel and the staff are always fighting vampires." Jenny glanced at the sun and squinted, "I'd best be off now, I have to help ready lunch. I'll talk to you kids later."

They bid her goodbye, and turned to watch the basketball match, but Buffy was still thinking about what the nun, Jenny, had said.

__

'...With him being like he is...'

What did that mean? What was so wrong with Angel that he couldn't act like a normal person? He seemed ordinary when she'd spoken with him, a bit formal, uncommonly wise, but there wasn't anything altogether peculiar about him.

Now Spike, he was a different matter entirely. There was something unusual about him and it gave her a distinct physical tingle, but what, was still unclear to her. Whenever she had touched his hand it had been freezing, and had sent an icy chill up her spine. His touch had made her want to glance over her shoulder, as though danger lurked just beyond her line of vision. 

There was definitely something about him, and she was going to find out what. However, for the moment she'd make do with dealing with her new life, her unusual school studies, and her Slayer duties. 

__

Just like any other girl, she thought sarcastically.

Shaking her head to escape her own musings, Buffy turned her concentration to the basketball match currently in process.

There were a few girls, but the teams consisted mainly of boys. They seemed to be fifteen, sixteen years old, and the game was beginning to get physical. Fouls were occurring everywhere, and a fight would break out over whether it was a foul or not. 

Oz was playing, and playing very well at that. For a short teenager, Oz was extremely fast and agile. He drove past players before they could even comprehend it. When he shot a goal, the four grass loungers cheered. 

A tall blonde boy grabbed the ball and threw it to his teammate, then ran to the other end of the court. Suddenly, the ball disappeared from his teammate's hands and apparated into his own. He quickly shot a goal, and the other team objected furiously. Apparently, gifts weren't allowed in this game, and the two teams fought over the rules. 

The boy who had cheated called out an offensive remark to a tough-looking brunette, and she stepped out of the pack and punched the blonde boy full on the nose. He yelped and clutched his bleeding nose, and a full brawl began on the court. The brunette jumped onto the boy's friend and began to throw punches. Two more boys attacked each other and soon the whole court- excluding Oz because he had cleverly stepped away from the crowd- was fighting.

Buffy ignored her friend's alarmed exclaims and strode onto the court. She grabbed a rather large boy by his shirt and effortlessly extracted him from his bleeding victim's limbs. She dumped him on the grass then walked back into the fray. She plucked the rough girl off her casualty and deposited her next to her teammate. By this time, the others had noticed their teammates on the ground and had stopped fighting.

The brunette girl stood up and stalked furiously over to Buffy.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she yelled angrily.

"Stopping you from killing him!" Buffy answered calmly, pointing to the girl's victim who was sitting on the court nursing his bruised head. 

"Well mind your own bloody business!" she yelled, pushing her face into Buffy's and looking down on her. When she didn't react, the brunette became irate and pulled back her fist. She drove her fist towards Buffy's face, but she didn't even flinch. 

With lightning speed, Buffy grabbed her fist when it was only an inch from her face. The brunette's expression turned from angry to one of surprise. Despite the strength she was using, her fist wouldn't budge in the girl's grip.

"I will. But if you touch another student, don't expect me to just watch." Buffy said quietly. She had been shocked at her speed and strength, but had managed to cover her surprise.

"Faith!" 

The two girls jumped in fright when an African-American man stormed through the trees.

"What do you think you're doing, girl? Attacking other students? This is the third time, Faith! Angel's not happy, and if you want to keep your butt in this school you'd better get down to his office right now!" he yelled.

Faith rolled her eyes as he approached then strolled past him and down the path that led back to the trapdoor.

"Harmony, help Jonathan down to the hospital wing, and Warren you go with Faith. I saw you jump Andrew, and _no I don't care if he cheated_."

The boy Buffy had dumped on the grass waked past with a scowl on his face, and the bleeding boy was helped to his feet by a blonde girl. 

The man turned to face Buffy, and she guessed that he was a teacher of some sort.

"Buffy Summers I suppose?" he asked.

"Uh...yeah." 

"I'm Gunn," he held out his held and Buffy accepted it. "Thanks for stopping the fight. Not many people here stand up to Faith or Warren, but I guess it isn't really a problem with you." he grinned, "Angel'll hear about this. I'll be surprised if the girl doesn't get kicked out, but then Angel was never one to send people away." he turned to go, but then whirled around, "Oh by the way, I was told to tell 'ya that you're wanted in the library."

"Do you know why?" she asked.

"I think your Watcher's waiting to meet you. Slayer duties and all that." 

__

Yeah, Slayer duties and all that. If only, she thought.

She watched Gunn retreat down the path, a growing, gnawing dread filling the pit of her stomach.

She told the others that she had to go, and felt their eye's boring into her back as she walked away.

__

What if I'm not any good? She thought anxiously. _Can Slayers be fired? _

The feelings of apprehensions grew with every step, and by the time she had descended the ladder, she felt seriously sick. _How can I fight vampires? I'm nothing but a teenage girl whose greatest fear is turning up to school wearing last season's clothes._

How am I supposed to save the world?


	5. Watchers, Vampires and Beethoven

__

Sorry this took so long to update, but for some reason fanfiction.net wasn't letting me in. Anyway, as always, your reviews are a great help so keep 'em coming!

gidgetgirl: I agree with you about Faith so I took the words right out of your mouth (or review).

WhiteWolf: No, it wasn't a mistake. It will be explained in this soon, so keep on reading!

Shahid: Your wish is my command! lol. You want Wes, you get Wes.

Thanks to the others who reviewed! You make me felt special! hehe ;)

* * * *

Chapter 5

* * * *

Buffy stared up at the menacing doors, apprehension looming over her like a dark cloud. She could hear faint voices on the other side, and placed her hand on the door, but she didn't push it open. She rested it on the hard, polished wood and her strength all but wavered.

Finally, she gritted her teeth and forced the door open. She stepped inside and three adults turned to face her.

"Buffy?" said the man that she remembered to be Mr. Giles. She noticed his English accent and tweed attire, and the stiff and formal way he stood. Beside him were Gunn and a rugged, but handsome man she hadn't met before.

"Yeah, that's me."

"Come in, take a seat, we've just finished outlining the plan for your training sessions." He gestured towards the tables and seats in the corner of the library. She walked cautiously forward. Although she knew that she had nothing to fear from these people, she felt unsure, and she disliked the helpless feeling of uncertainty. 

She sat precariously on a chair as the disheveled man approached her. 

"Buffy, I'm Wesley. I work here teaching History of Demons and also some field work."

"Oh, hi." She noticed with some amount of horror, the large scar across his neck. 

He seemed to notice her horrified expression and smiled, fingering the long, red scar, "The result of getting cornered by a Mazaar demon. It wasn't anything the nurses couldn't fix. I just wanted to introduce myself since we're more than likely going to be working with each other quite soon. I'm needed elsewhere at the moment, but I will see you during your training."

"Yeah, sure." 

She could tell she was going to like this guy. He was English, though not as stiff looking as Mr. Giles and she could tell from his appearance that he was obviously a competent demon hunter. His aged appearance was deceptive, and upon a closer look, she saw that he was not very old at all. His unkempt hair and dirty, torn clothes did nothing to accentuate his youth, although it did give her some hope that this demon slaying gig was genuine.

He hurried from the library and Mr. Giles and Gunn came towards her, burdened with thick, heavy books. 

"I'm Rupert Giles, your Watcher." He offered his hand, which she took and gave a quick shake. "I'm to understand that the history of Slayers has been explained to you?" 

When she gave a quick nod he continued, "Now your case is quite an intriguing one. Usually when a potential is born the Council will find her at a very young age, and raise her with the knowledge of her destiny. But you seem to have...uh, _eluded _them. When Kendra died, none of the potentials in their care were called. Angel had to find you in case you were in danger, and with Spike's help he did."

Buffy nodded slowly, "Uh, Mr. Giles..."

"Just Giles, Buffy." Gunn interrupted with a grin.

"OK, Giles, what's the Council?"

"The Council is a society of people who guide the Slayer, the potentials and their Watchers. They wereyour bosses."

"Were?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, seeming quite nervous, "There's no need to worry you about the details now. I'm going to give you the history and a bit of information about vampires. You will need to know this because I'm planning on taking you into the field in a few days."

"Already?" her voice came out as an alarmed squeak. 

"There's no reason not to." Giles said.

"Don't worry, hon, we'll all be there to protect 'ya." Gunn said.

"Yes, Angel and his gang will be accompanying you, so you won't be in any immediate danger."

"Yeah, fine." she mumbled, slouching lower in her chair.

"Right, now vampires are soulless demons who are created by being bitten by, then biting another vampire. They can only be killed by sunlight, stake through the heart, decapitation, consuming holy water..."

* * * *

A few hours later Buffy had been given the whole run down of vampire history. She couldn't believe that all this had been going on right under her nose for the past sixteen years. She couldn't believe that she actually _did _believe it at all.

"The Slayer is connected to vampires. She has a sixth sense that can detect a vampire in a crowd of people. She should be able to feel and locate a vampire in a cemetery..." Giles droned on, but she was slowly losing interest in his lecture. 

She looked over at Gunn and saw him perched on the table looking as bored as she felt. He caught her eye and grinned.

"Buffy?" 

She startled and realized that Giles had asked her a question.

"Huh?"

He sighed, "I asked, can you give me the definition of a vampire?"

She smiled; she knew this one and quoted his earlier terminology, "Vampires are reanimated, soulless corpses that rise from the grave at night to suck the blood of people."

"Very good. How can you distract a vampire?"

"Taunting him about his totally passé fashion sense?"

"Buffy!"

"What? I reckon it would work."

"Yes...no! It...Uh..." he trailed off helplessly, and Gunn chuckled. 

"How long can vampires live?" 

"They're immortal Buffy." 

"They called Beethoven immortal, and you don't see him walking around a century later." she muttered, and Giles shook his head in exasperation as Gunn burst into laughter.

"I have a question," she said.

"Yes?"

"Why do they lose their souls?"

"Well, when they are turned, vampires officially die, so they lose their souls. When the vampire's blood reactivates their body, it can't bring back their soul."

Buffy was fascinated by the thought of this. "Has a vampire ever had a soul?"

He glanced at her quickly, then exchanged an alarmed look with Gunn. The younger man opened his mouth as thought he was going to say something, but then closed it on second thought.

"Well?" she pressed.

"Um, well..." Giles stammered, but was interrupted by the library doors swinging open to reveal a harassed looking Angel.

"Oh great, you're still here! Good afternoon Buffy."

Buffy glanced at the giant grandfather clock and noticed with surprise that it was already after noon. 

"What happened to Faith?" she asked, her distaste obvious in her tone.

"She's been sent to help the nuns in the kitchen. I'm trying to get her to take some notice of what I say. Somehow I don't think its working." he grinned, "Faith isn't as bad as you think, Buffy. She's had a hard life; her childhood wasn't a happy one. She was homeless for four years so she thinks life's survival of the fittest; it's the only way she knows how to live. Don't be too hard on her."

She immediately felt guilty for judging the misunderstood brunette, but it still wasn't all right for to resolve her issues by beating up other students.

"Anyway, I've just come to check on your progress. How's it going?"

"Uh, OK, I suppose."

"Very well, actually. She is a fast learner, though her concentration skills could do with some polishing."

"Unlike your glasses, which you polish every freakin' minute." Buffy glared at her Watcher and Gunn laughed.

"Buffy- thirteen, Giles-zero. I like this girl, Angel." he said, chuckling.

"Right, I can see they've hit it off right away. Giles, don't annoy your Slayer, and Buffy, don't mock your Watcher. Now, do you have any questions?"

"Uh, yeah, just a couple."

"Go ahead."

"Why were those vamps after me?" 

Angel looked at Giles then at Gunn, "Well, they were hired by...these people who want you dead. When Spike found your location, he was followed by these hired vampires. As much as I dislike his... methods, he was effective in getting you to safety."

"Oh, OK. I got another question. I've been listening to Giles..." Gunn snorted, "Hey, I have! Anyway, he said that vampires can't enter houses without the permission of the owners. I never gave that vampire permission, so how did he enter my house after Spike?"

Angel looked startled, and Gunn gasped in shock.

"He came into your house?" Angel asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Uh, yeah." 

"You didn't say 'come in' or anything?" 

"No."

"Do you have a welcome mat at your door?"

"No."

"Damn. Gunn, go tell Wesley what they've done, and tell him to inform his associate immediately." Angel ordered, and Gunn hopped from his perch and hastened out of the library. He then began to mumble incoherent words under his breath and squinted as though trying to calculate something.

"Angel? What's wrong?" she asked.

He glanced at her as though just registering her presence. "Oh, nothing to worry about."

"I beg to differ." Giles said, and she nodded in agreement. "It doesn't seem like nothing by the way you were acting a minute ago. I agreed to this position against all my convictions because I was promised that I would not be kept in the dark about matters concerning my Slayer. If this is something to do with her, I want to know and I want her to be ready."

Buffy glanced in surprise at the protectiveness in his voice. She'd only just met him, but already he was acting as her guardian. It was weird, but this man was now her guide and it was his training that her life depended on.

Buffy felt a distinct tingle shoot up her spine. She shivered and shook the uncomfortable feeling off.

"You're right Giles. I'm sorry. I promise you will be told, but just not now."

"Angel!"

Buffy jumped in fright as she saw Spike standing by her side. She hadn't even noticed him enter the library.

"Gunn just told me. Well, bleedin' yelled is more like it, but..."

"Spike, you should've told us." Angel said sternly.

"I forgot! I didn't even think 'bout it when it happened 'cause I'm so used to it."

"Spike!" Angel and Giles barked, and Spike's eyes widened in confusion. Then they rested on Buffy.

"Oh, bugger! Right, well I gotta go." Then he disappeared from the library as stealthy as he had entered.

"What...?" she began, but Giles cut her off.

"I think that will be enough for today, Buffy. You go have some lunch, but meet me here after dinner and we'll commence your training."

He ushered her out of the library before she had time to protest and stood silently in the hall.

__

What the hell was that all about?

She knew there was something that they weren't telling her. She was the Slayer god damn it, the one chosen to protect them, and they were hiding information from her. Shouldn't she be in the know about everything? 

From what she had gathered from Giles' lecture, she would be the one to go up against all these Big Bads. She couldn't defeat something if she didn't know what it was or what it was doing. Angel had said that he would explain it all eventually, but she wasn't the patient type and it was going to frustrate her until she knew.

If there was one thing she hated, it was being kept in the dark about something important. And if there was one thing she was good at, it was discovering the best gossip, and in this case, she was going to find out what they weren't telling her.

As she walked down the empty hall, her footsteps echoed loudly in her ears. The extensive hall was empty and completely void of any life. The solitude made her feel uncomfortable. Giles had told her that past Slayers were taken from their families and fought alone. Was she destined to fight alone? 

She had never been good at following procedure and she wasn't about to begin now. She didn't care if Slayers were supposed to fight alone. She would keep her friends, and her family. 

She was not going to be alone. If those 'powers that be' called her as the Slayer, then she would be the Slayer. But she wouldn't follow the footsteps of her predecessors; she wouldn't fight alone. 

Buffy continued to walk down the hall, wondering when and where she had accepted her duty as Slayer. She had been kidnapped from her home, attacked by a gang of vampires, enrolled in a school for the freakishly gifted, and told that she was the Slayer. Life couldn't get any weirder. 

Could it?


	6. Promiscuous Voices

****

* * * *

Chapter 6

* * * *

Buffy found herself strolling back into the library after her hasty retreat from dinner. It had been a delicious smelling roast, but her stomach was queasy to the point of not allowing her any room for tasty dinner. She had nibbled delicately on a bread roll for a quarter of an hour before growing tired of trying to force her stomach to listen to her. She had excused herself and made her way towards the library, where she would meet Giles for her first training session.

She pushed the door open, and similar to that morning, found herself facing the three men. Where were all the strong women types in this school? She'd met a male principle, male Watcher, male demon hunters, and male teachers. Except for Fred, she was beginning to think that she was the only strong female figure here.

"Ah, Buffy, you're here." Giles said, glancing up from his books. Wesley and Gunn turned in surprise.

"Yeah."

"Ready to train?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Good, good. This way if you will." He gestured to the other side of the library, where shelves of books lined the walls.

"I thought I was training, not studying." 

"You are." 

"Then why are we...?" she trailed off when she saw Giles' hand scale the wall and pull a red book from the shelf. There was a slight 'click' and the book fell back into place. 

Suddenly, a small section of the shelves shuddered and she jumped back in surprise when it began to swing backward, revealing a dark, dank passage. Giles stepped into the gloom and she hesitantly followed him, Gunn and Wesley bringing up the rear. The wall reinserted itself and darkness swept through the tunnel. 

Her Slayer enhanced vision quickly allowed her to make out the forms of the three men and saw Giles fumbling on the wall, searching for something. She quickly grabbed the lighter from him and lit the torch hanging from the wall.

"Uh...thank you."

"No problem, Giles." She glanced at her surroundings and noticed that the tunnel was made of a dark stone, and inscribed in the stone was ancient writings and symbols. She fingered one lightly - a small, black crow, proudly spreading its wings- and wondered at its origin.

"This tunnel was discovered by Angel when we first moved in." Gunn explained as they continued walking down the dark tunnel, "Before this place was a school, it was a run-down hotel. We cleaned it up a bit, renovated it- man, was _that _a hard few months- and used it as AI's home base."

"AI?"

"Angel's Investigations." he clarified, "We used to be a detective agencies, helping out with peoples problems. Then we found that a lot of kids were showing supernatural powers or abilities, and we converted the place into a school. Angel found this place when we were renovating. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Very," she said with a nod.

The tunnel curved sharply and Buffy only just managed to stop herself from barreling into her Watcher's back. They had come to a thick, steel door and Giles twiddled with the lock until it clicked open similarly to the first door.

Giles led her down a long, steep flight of steps and she fought back feelings of claustrophobia. They came to yet another locked door, and this one swung open to reveal a large cavern. Weapons of various shapes and sizes lined the walls, a boxing bag hung from the roof and a net dangled from the rocky ceiling. It was the perfect place to train.

"Let's begin. Now, a Slayer must always be on her guard..."

* * * *

Three hours later Buffy, sticky from sweat and weary to the bone, trudged into her room and flopped exhaustedly onto her bed. She had never done that much exertion before. She didn't even know that she _could_. Her idea of exercise was dancing all night at the Bronze with her friends, and here she was doing pushups, runs, and sparring for three hours straight. And with fully-grown men, no less. She knew that she would have a hard time moving tomorrow; her limbs were already protesting against the hard bed.

"Buffy?" 

She rolled her head to the side and saw Cordelia and Willow standing nervously by her bed.

"Hey guys," she rasped, still trying to control her breathing.

"Um, are you all right?" 

"No."

"What happened?" Willow asked anxiously.

"Slave drivers kidnapped me."

"_What?"_ they gasped in unison.

"Kidding guys," she said quickly, waving her arm, then winced at the sudden movement. "I had Slayer training with Giles. I think I've used muscles I didn't even know I had." 

Willow giggled when she groaned, but Cordelia just rolled her eyes and resumed brushing her hair. Buffy noticed the makeup scattered across the desk, and the magazines crammed beside the desk and the bed.

"Can you believe how cute Paul Walker is?" Cordelia cooed as she flipped through the magazine currently open in front of her. "I mean, totally gorgeous doesn't even begin to cover it."

Willow moaned and sat down beside Buffy. She gave the redhead a curious look.

"She's been doing this all afternoon. I now know the best looking _one hundred _actors, who's hot, who's last year and who is dating who. I was about to go insane when you came and saved me."

"Save you?" she grinned wickedly, "Sorry, but a girl's got to shower!"

"Buffy! Don't you dare!" Willow squealed as Buffy grabbed her clothes and ran into the adjoining bathroom, locking the door behind her.

She hopped into the shower and sighed blissfully as the hot water soothed her aches and pains. Wiping away the grime covering her body, her thought wandered back to the last few hours.

At first Giles had asked her to do a 'quick' run to warm up. His idea of quick had been a thirty-minute sprint around the cavern. Then she had done three hundred sit-ups with Gunn holding her legs. Her stomach had burned during the whole time, but something had stopped her from giving up.

After the warm up, Wesley had taught her the basics of fighting.

__

"Stay on your toes and slow down for nothing. Be prepared for everything. The most important principle of the Slayer is to be prepared, to be ready for anything. You can't be surprised by anything."

As he said the last sentence he had swung a sword in her direction. She had instantly ducked, escaping the sharp edge by mere millimeters, and received an approving nod.

Giles had then handed her a long, wooden staff. After a hasty beating, Giles had shakily taken it from her and handed her a sword. Wesley had then commenced to attack her, and she was amazed at her own ability. Slicing and blocking, ducking and dodging; it was all executed with surprising speed. She had caught Gunn and Giles exchanging a look of shock. She supposed she had been doing well.

Then Gunn had jumped up eagerly. She had been expected to spar with him and use her incentive and imagination, barring nothing. He had grinned and thrown a punch. Dodging his fist, she had thrown her own then stood stunned as he flew backwards. Giles had praised her strength before Gunn jumped back in. They exchanged blows, becoming gradually more confident in her abilities with every strike.

Soaking her hair with shampoo, Buffy smiled as she remembered their surprise when she had dropped to the floor and swept his feet out from beneath him. He was immediately on his feet again and came at her with a series of powerful punches. He began to drive her back, his grin growing more cocksure with every step. 

Finally they reached the punching bag, and he had thrown a blow straight at her head. With incredible speed, she had ducked beneath it and pushed it forward. The bag hit Gunn with full force and he flew backwards, crashing into the wall with a sickening thud.

He had been all right, and had had to stop her fussing over him. Wesley and Giles had been full of praise for her understanding of her surroundings and she had basked in it. It was not often that Buffy was acclaimed for something she had done, and it felt good to be doing something right.

She turned the tap off and stepped from the shower. Five minutes later she was dressed and ready to fall gratefully into her bed. A minute after her head hit the pillow, her breathing deepened and she was lost in sleep.

* * * *

Buffy opened her eyes and found herself surrounded in total darkness. She jumped when a loud voice pierced the air.

__

"Where is she?"

"They have her."

"What! How did this happen?"

"The vampire."

"The vampire? One vampire against thirty vampires? Tell me where the logic is in that."

"My humblest apologies."

"Get out of my sight."

"Yes, master."

"No...Wait. Where did this vampire take her?"

"To his residence."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, master. The sorcerers have seen her."

"They have? Why wasn't I informed?"

"It...it just happened."

"It did, did it? Leave me now."

Buffy felt the darkness shift and she found herself in a red mist.

__

" She will be your undoing."

"What are you saying?"

"You will not succeed."

"Of course I will! Nothing can stop me!"

"She will. Your influenced has not yet reached her, and she will be the source of your downfall."

"You are wrong. I no longer need your advice and I dispense of your guidance."

"I will obey."

"No. You will die."

Buffy clasped her hands to her ears to block the sound of the agonized screaming. The mist suddenly disappeared and she found herself encircled by a deep, blackness that was speckled with white spots. She blinked and then realized that the white spots were actually stars. Twirling around, she and saw the Earth below her feet. She screamed but no sound escaped her lips.

When she realized that she was not going to fall, she glanced up and saw the sun in front of her. It was more glorious than viewed from the earth. Golden flames licked the edges, yellow and orange swirls danced over its surface and the heat beat down on her. 

She startled when a piercing squawk echoed through her head, and she gazed in wonder as a black crow soared past the sun, its body silhouetted by the gold background.

A sickening wrenching pull on her stomach and she began to fall towards the Earth. She glanced up one more time and saw the crow suspended in the air, gazing down on her. She hit the ground with a thud.

* * * *

Buffy jerked out of her bed, and glanced wildly around. Cordelia lay snoring in her bed, and Willow was sleeping soundly with a small smile on her face. Her ragged breathing slowed as she took note of her surroundings. The bed sheet was intertwined between her legs and she disentangled herself, then lay quietly back on the hard mattress. 

She had been dreaming. But for some reason, she couldn't remember a thing. There was a gap where the dream should have filled, but she found nothing, and eventually fell into a disturbed sleep.


	7. School's In

__

Your reviews are wonderful and I love the ideas you are all coming up with. Keep 'em coming. 

A/N: I'm sorry about the wait between the last chapter and this one, but I've been reading fic rather than writing it. I've started the Twist of Fate series by Lisette, and I can tell you they are great! Check 'em out for a good read.

A/N 2: I've taken all your preferred 'ships into account and I've made up my mind. This story is going to be B/...What you didn't think I'd actually tell you, did you? Ohh...I'm evil, I know. ;p But I hope you don't stop reading this fic because of the ship. It will eventually become a necessary part of the story, so if you don't approve of the ship please just give it a chance.

A/N 3: Also, I've had requests for Lindsey to appear in this fic. I'm not familiar with his character, and not confident enough to actually write him, therefore he won't be appearing in this story.

Anyway, on with the story... 

****

* * * *

Chapter 7

* * * *

The next day was much the same as the first, although the hall was considerably less occupied than the day before. Only twenty or so students remained over the weekend, including Buffy and her friends. Instead of spending the day in the garden, she headed back to her room after breakfast. 

She waved off her friend's concern saying that she was only tired and made her way back up the stairs. As soon as she hit her bed, Buffy was ensconced in a deep sleep. She wasn't awoken until late evening, when Willow and Cordelia came in to check on her.

She expected to be called to train with Giles, but her Watcher didn't approach nor call for her during the meal. They had arranged that he would come get her but even after the sun had waned nobody came to fetch her. She shrugged the unpleasant tingling away and joined the others in a quick game of cards in the boys' room.

By the time the bell rang for lights out the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach hadn't disappeared, but she fell asleep nonetheless.

Again her dreams were filled with strange conversations between unknown people and dizzying cryptic symbols. She tossed and turned uneasily, but when she woke she remembered nothing of them.

With the dawn of the new day, Buffy rose from her bed anxious, nervous and weary. She was to begin her first classes today. Normal school and ordinary teachers had scared her enough, but now she was attending demon and vampire based classes, taught by demon hunters no less.

At breakfast the hall was teeming with students, all shouting, chatting and laughing about the new semester that was about to begin. She overheard someone moaning about how yet another Unusual Demons lecturer had been hired.

"Morning Buffy." Xander greeted her, followed by the rest of what had become her 'gang'.

"Hey, Xander, hey guys." she replied as she slipped into the seat and eyed the food hungrily. Scooping two pancakes onto her own plate, she drenched them in maple syrup before tucking in.

"Did you get your time table?" Willow asked, her eyes glittering from excitement. From Xander's teasing the night before, Buffy had gathered enough information to know that Willow was a more than adept student. Top of her class for four years in a row, in fact. She grinned at the redhead's enthusiasm.

"Unfortunately." she replied, delving through the small backpack that Cordelia had unwillingly handed over when it was discovered that she had nothing to carry her books in. She found the slip of paper and handed it to the other girl.

"Oh!" she squealed, "You and I are in the same classes! History of Demons first period, math's second, Vampire Analysis third, Science fourth and then...oh. You've got Slayer studies fifth. I've got a Wiccan class."

"At least I've got someone to copy off." Buffy muttered, earning a disapproving look from Willow and a deep chuckling from Xander.

"See Will? It's natural to have a fallback buddy."

"Fallback buddy?" Oz said, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, someone you can fall back on if you 'forget' to do your homework." Buffy explained, grinning back at her brunette friend.

Cordelia and Willow looked mystified at their two friends, but Oz just leaned back in his chair and smiled.

"Look, somebody actually speaks Xander-speech." Cordelia snorted. 

"I resent that remark." Xander said, feigning a hurt expression. "Anyway, I'm in the same classes as you two as well," he said, nodding towards Buffy and Willow. "Except for the last one. I got..." he checked his timetable again and grimaced, "Tutoring your Gift. Aw, I hate one on one tutoring. There's no way to snooze through the lesson."

"Ever see those one-sided glasses? Works like a charm." Buffy replied with a smirk, earning more groans from her friends.

"You two are hopeless!" Cordelia groaned.

Just as Xander opened his mouth to reply, a loud bell rang through the hall and the next few minutes were filled with the sound of screeching chairs, rushing footsteps and scrambling students.

They waved goodbye to Cordelia and Oz and made their way down the first floor. Buffy glanced at her timetable and then shrugged helplessly at her two friends.

"This place is just too big to work out anything from this thing!" Willow exclaimed, waving her map in the air. The halls were emptying fast and she was beginning to become frantic. "What if we're late to our first class!"

"Oh no, we might get scowled at!" Xander said with mock horror.

"This isn't funny Xander!"

"No, dead serious here," he deadpanned. 

"Look guys maybe there's someone around..." Buffy said, turning from left to right. The familiar prickle cascading down her spine and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Lost?"

The three of them jumped around in fright, Xander letting out a shriek.

"That's it Harris, real manly." Spike smirked, leaning against a pillar.

"Hey..." Xander began angrily, but then his face turned to one of confusion, "Hang on, how do you know who I am?" 

"I know who everyone is Harris," he said as he turned his gaze onto the two girls, "Rosenburg, Summers." His gaze lingered on Buffy for a second longer, before turning back to the three of them. "You guys lost?"

"Uh...yeah." Buffy said, "We've got History of Demons in chamber seven."

"Two doors down on your left." he directed, "Better hurry up though; Wes doesn't take well to late comers."

They nodded and hastened past him. Spike grabbed Buffy's arm as she brushed past him and she shivered involuntary at his touch.

"Don't always follow orders, pet. 'Cause that's what'll get you killed." he hissed in her ear and she pulled away from him in shock. He turned and sauntered away, leaving Buffy standing frozen in the corridor.

"Buffy...hurry up!"

She turned to see Willow gesturing from the door and hastened into the room, slipping into a seat in the back row between her two friends. Wesley raised his eyebrows but said nothing of their late entrance.

"Good morning students. For those who don't know me, my name is Wesley Whydham-Price, but the teachers here go by their first names so feel free to call me Wesley. This year I will be teaching you the basics of demon history. Firstly, I've placed a copy of the textbook on each of your desks. These must accompany you to every class. Secondly, this class will be mainly theory work, so don't expect many practical experiments." He said, ignoring the many groans that ran throughout the classroom. "Now, first question: how did demons originate?"

Willow's hand shot up. 

"Ah, yes, Miss Rosenburg?"

"Demons roamed the Earth since the dawn of time and made it their home. Eventually, they began to loose their grip on this world and the Gods banished them to the Hell that exists today. The human reign began, but the last remaining demon sucked the blood of a human and hence vampires were created."

The class stared at her in shock and Wesley's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Uh...I-I see you've been to the library, Miss Rosenburg. Well done, that was ah...an accurate account. Ah, today we will be studying the Mak'le'ki demon. Now, does anyone know the characteristics of a Mak'le'ki demon?"

Willow's hand shot up again, and Buffy sunk further into her seat, rolling her eyes at Xander. As her bright friend answered with another textbook response, she leant over to Xander.

"Are we supposed to know this?" she whispered.

"Hope not," he replied, "'Cause I have no idea what she's talking about."

"Same here. I didn't even know any of this stuff existed until two days ago," she mumbled, straightening in her seat when Wesley glared at them from the front of the class.

"Willow only found out a week ago, and she's read all the text books inside and out," he replied, covering his mouth with his hand.

"And if Mr. Harris and Miss Summers finish their private conversation, we can begin labeling the illustration of a Mak'le'ki."

Buffy and Xander startled at Wesley's pointed statement and turned sheepishly to the front. She imitated zipping her lips and throwing away the key, and for the rest of the lesson concentrated on listening to Wesley's descriptions. As the class progressed she found herself becoming more attentive to his teachings. She'd never been one to enjoy lectures, but this particular topic held her attention throughout.

Buffy was surprised when the bell rang. The lesson had flown by without her even noticing, and not once had she glanced at the clock and wished it over. 

"I want a four hundred word essay on the attributes and physical characteristic of the Mak'li'ki demon finished by next lesson." Wesley called over the loud rings.

She flung the bag that held her textbook over her shoulder and joined the others in the hall.

"Wasn't that just _marvelous?" _Willow exclaimed as they made their way to the second floor where their math's class was being held. "I can't believe there's so much to learn!"

"Learn?" Xander snorted, "Will, you knew everything _before _the class even started!"

"Not everything," she replied, unaware of his sarcasm.

They pushed and shoved their way through the masses of students conversing on the stairs. Xander's speed seemed to slow with every step he took.

"I have no problem learning about demons, but math's? No thank you!" he replied when Buffy questioned his leisurely pace.

" Aw, come one Xander, I'll protect you from the big bad numbers!" Buffy joked.

"And I feel so much better now," he grumbled as they entered the room. A tall, imposing woman stood stiffly behind her chair, looking down her nose at the students who passed her. Her eyes narrowed when they alighted on Buffy, but she said nothing. She could feel the woman's eyes bore into her back as she strolled to the back row.

"Please be seated," Her voice was icy and it was more of an order than a request. Immediately a hush fell through the room and she continued, "I am Gwendolyn Post, Miss Post to you. The course book has been placed on each desk. Do not lose it. Remove your notebooks and copy these sums from the board."

Buffy groaned inwardly as she extracted her notebook. This was going to be a very long lesson. 

* * * *

"That was the longest lesson ever!" Xander complained as they left the room with fifty sums for homework. "Who would invent math's anyway?"

"People who have no life." Buffy answered dryly, already dreading that night's homework.

"Thought so."

"We're in chamber 13." Willow read from her timetable. "Where do you suppose that is?"

"Probably further down the hall." Xander said with a shrug. In fact, it was the very last chamber. 

"Vampire Analysis. This is going to be real interesting," Buffy muttered, aware that she already knew about a lot of the things they would be teaching. 

"Hope so," Xander grinned excitedly, "And I wish we get a better teacher than Icy woman," he said as he pushed the door open.

"Wish granted." 

Xander, Buffy and Willow glanced up in surprise at their Vampire Analysis teacher.

"Angel?"

"Yes?"

"_You're _our teacher?" Xander blurted out.

"Have a problem with that Mr. Harris?" he asked with amusement.

"Uh...no. It's just...you don't exactly seem like the..._type _of...ah, don't worry," he trailed off, quickly slipping past the amused head master.

Buffy sat down and waited curiously for the lesson to begin. Once the students were settled, Angel breezed over the course requirements and the topics that they would be studying. Buffy saw many students learn forward, eagerly waiting for the lesson to begin. Many did seem curious, if not excited to see what this class would contain.

Surprisingly, the lesson was laid back and enjoyable. Angel leaned against the front of his desk and most of the lesson was utilized by the student's views on how vampires were portrayed in the media by people who only thought of them as fantasy creatures. It was interesting to hear where they went wrong.

"Vampires _can _be killed by a wooden stake through their heart. Decapitation and sunlight also work," he explained, "But holy water and crosses can only hurt them, they can not kill."

"What about their teeth? Do they stay as fangs?" asked a short girl near the front of the room.

"Good question. No, they don't. Vampires appear normal until they wish to bite a person. Then they will 'shift' into game-face, which means that they will grow fangs and their face will become a demon's." he said as he sifted through the papers on his desk. He found the one he was looking for and held it up for everyone to see. Buffy had already seen this particular picture of a vampire and it didn't faze her, but the rest of the class gasped in horror. 

"That's horrible!" the girl exclaimed.

The topic changed when a burly looking boy held up his hand.

"How do we fight vampires?" he asked.

"You don't. The Slayer does." Angel answered. Buffy's eye widened and she waited for the stares and whispers that were sure to come her way. But when the students gazed blankly back at him, she released the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

"What's a Slayer?"

"One girl chosen in all the world, with the strength and skill to fight the vampires." His eyes flicked to the back row, "But that is for another lesson. Any other questions?" he asked. Buffy glanced from Willow to Xander's confused face.

__

They mustn't know about me, Bufffy thought with relief. Her eyes narrowed when she remembered the look of comprehension on Faith's face. The other girl had known. Why hadn't she told anyone? 

After discovering that she'd told her friends about her identity, Giles had prohibited her from telling anyone. She had been skeptical on it remaining a secret, but had understood the necessity of it. If other students decided they wanted to be superheroes, she would have them following her on patrols and more than likely placing themselves in danger.

Buffy still couldn't understand why Faith hadn't spread it around the school. She instantly pushed back the thought of blackmail to the furthest recesses of her mind. She wouldn't do that. However, the thought nagged at her and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Psst, Buffy." Xander hissed to gain her attention, "I didn't know it was a secret." Willow nodded when she overheard him.

"Well it is, so don't spread it around." she whispered back and they nodded and fell silent.

"What does it feel like to be bitten?" an unpleasant boy asked.

"Any reasonable questions?" Angel countered, earning a few sniggers from the students.

"Is Dracula real?" 

Angel's face brightened and he smiled. "Well, that story is quiet fascinating..."

* * * *

__

I thought you guys deserved an extra long chapter since it was so late in coming. Hope you enjoyed!


	8. Unusual Demons

*** * * ***

**Chapter 8**

*** * * ***

By the time Friday arrived Buffy had nearly forgotten about her duty as the Slayer. No one had fetched her to train and no one had mentioned when she would. Giles had evaded her questions by unconvincingly explaining that they were all simply too busy. Not even when she had pointed out that not much could be more important than training the girl who was supposed to protect the world had she gotten a straight answer.

Nevertheless, her schooling continued without a hitch. Her Slayer studies were interesting despite having heard it all before. Her teacher, Miss Kirly, was a sweet, warm middle aged woman whose grandmother had been the Slayer. She knew a great deal about the life a Slayer lived, and a great deal about how they died. Buffy was surprised to learn that Faith was a potential, but then noticed that she certainly did fit the description of what a Slayer should be. Rough, passionate and strong, although she was lacking in the obediate department.

The self-defense classes were a hit with the students and Gunn made a great teacher. Fred taught Science and Buffy was amazed at how much the intelligent young girl knew. Her passion and excitement for her students learning was blinding; she obviously loved it. 

Willow came to dinner every night with many stories about her progress in magic. She idolized her mentor- a gentle, shy woman whom she called Tara- and claimed that it was her favourite class. She spent her nights finishing her homework and then helping her friends as they struggled with their own. She didn't complain once, and Buffy privately thought she loved it.

Cordelia was still as tactless and as aggravating as their first meeting. She had stopped her nasty comments to the others; however, she didn't cease in her constant nagging to Buffy. Since she'd had no clothes, Buffy was forced to borrow what she could, and more often than not it was Cordelia's clothes the blonde borrowed. Despite this, the brunette seer was enjoying her seer classes, albeit the lack of visions.

Oz went from day to day smoothly. His easygoing nature made him a favourite among the students and they often forced him into playing his guitar. He hadn't transformed yet, and his werewolf classes were focused on teaching him to control his inner-wolf. He hoped one day to be able to change when he wanted to, or at least be able to control himself when he transformed. He was a smart teenager, and didn't see the need to speak unless there was something worth saying. Buffy thought he saw everything that went on around him, and admitted to herself that there wasn't much she would be able to keep a secret from him. 

Buffy had been shocked when Xander had first shown his gift. She had slipped on the grand staircase, and despite being more than ten steps above her, had managed to catch her and prevent her from tumbling down and most probably breaking her neck. He was extremely fast and his gift was one of the most unique in the school. Although he was not what you would call an intelligent teenager, Xander tried hard and he didn't even know the meaning of giving up.

The highlight of Buffy's unusual- if not exciting- week came on Friday afternoon, the last class of the week. Unusual Demons was a lecture that was only held once a week, and Buffy was curious to see what the lesson would involve.

Since all the first years were taking the same class, it was held in a small amphitheater beside the hall. The high ceiling augmented the tumultuous racket from the students. However, that racket was silence as soon as the lecturer appeared.

Tall, broad and wearing a vivid purple suit, the U.D teacher made his entrance. And as if the suit wasn't enough to startle the students, his two horns and green skin definitely did the job. He strode to the desk at the front of the room with a large smile plastered on his face. Angel followed him slowly, allowing the students to focus entirely on the demon standing in front of them.

Suddenly, a sharp shriek pierced the air and a small girl near the front fainted into the arms of her neighbor. This was the catalyst for a frightened and confused uproar, in which students screamed, yelled and protested their objections.

Angel merely held his hand high, and the ruckus began to die down.

"Silence," he demanded and the room became deathly silent again, "This is the Host, Krevlornswath, or as I doubt any of you could pronounce it, Lorne. He will be your Unusual Demons teacher. Any questions?" he asked, searching the room for someone brave enough to speak up. When no answer came he murmured into Lorne's ear then strode from the room.

"Good afternoon cupcakes!" Lorne greeted, "Angel has asked me to give you a few details of myself so I don't scare any more students. Although it's good to see I can still make the girls swoon..." A ripple of laughter surged through the room, and the students visibly relaxed.

It was the weirdest but most intriguing lesson Buffy had ever attended. The students sat quietly; compelled into silence by the Host's extraordinary talent for storytelling. He began by describing his life as the soul-searching Host and owner of Caritas, a demon bar. Once he saw that he held his audience in a captive thrall, he continued to describe his powers and abilities, and eventually his adventures with Angel's Investigations. 

The students overlooked, or forgot, his rather unusual appearance and Buffy found it easy to see the good within his demon form. As she listened to the entertaining account of his life in Pylea, her thoughts started to wander. 

Obviously, Angel trusted Lorne to be a 'good' demon, or he wouldn't have hired him in the first place. But if Lorne was indeed a 'humane' demon, didn't that mean that there could be others? Buffy's theory of human equals good, demon equal bad flew straight out the window as she realized that the world wasn't made in black and white. Shades of gray were hidden in the most unlikely disguises, Lorne being a suitable example.

How would she know if she was fighting against an evil demon, or if she was about to kill a demon with family or friends whom they loved? Slaying someone like Lorne, who was living peacefully among humans, made her stomach twist at the thought. 

There was so much she had to learn, but how would she learn if they weren't helping her? Giles was ignoring her, Wesley was doing the same, and Gunn was plainly staying out of her way. Even Fred was acting weird around her. Angel was the only one who was treating her the same, but she caught the quick looks he sent her way; so fast that she may have imagined it. And Spike...he had always been weird, so nothing much had changed on that front.

_Don't follow orders pet. 'Cause that's what will get you killed._

His sharp words came back to her and she frowned at the urgency in his tone. Wasn't that the duty of the Slayer? To follow her Watcher's orders? She'd never been one to obey the rules, so that had never been a problem. The meaning behind his remark was lost on her.

She shifted restlessly on her seat. The past week had been beyond strange, more unbelievable. It felt as though she'd been in a daydream; a daydream that she couldn't decide whether she wanted to awaken from or not. 

She uncrossed her legs, then crossed them again. She had been restless since the day she'd come here. It felt as though she had a large ball of energy in her stomach, slowly releasing endorphins into her blood stream. Her fidgeting had increased and she'd noticed that a lot of her baby fat had disappeared- leaving her face thin and her body slim and toned.

She felt an unrelenting urge to move. She saw steps and she'd race up them; she saw a chair she'd jump over it; she saw a basketball match she'd join in. Buffy took great pains in hiding her strength from the other students, and she knew eventually that she would have to let it out. It was growing within her; a deep, forceful power that surged through her blood and her muscles, begging her to be released. It was beginning to hurt and drain her, and it wouldn't be long before she gave up and hit the first thing that came her way. 

She was jerked from her reverie by the abrupt bell. Some students groaned as they collected the materials they hadn't used and the class reluctantly trudged from the amphitheater, already anticipating next week's lesson. As she walked down the aisle behind her four friends, Buffy wistfully recollected her first and only training session. Determination filled her and she decided if her Watcher wouldn't train her, she'd train herself.

Buoyed by the decision she had come to, Buffy bid leave from her friends and hastened to the library. She quickly glanced around her and finding no one to question her motives, pushed the heavy doors open. She was gratified to see the library empty, and strode to the far wall. She ran her hands over the various books, willing herself to remember which book was the lever. Blue, no, green, no, brown, no, black, no, red...yes! That was the one. She pulled it down and gave a satisfied smile when she heard a familiar 'click'. The wall retreated back and Buffy slid into the dark passage.

Trusting her Slayer enhanced vision Buffy advanced into the gloom. As she walked cautiously forward, her hands brushed against the wall for support and guidance. She frowned when she realized that she didn't know how to open the door, but the problem was soon put to rest when she turned the corner and found the door already wide open.

She stepped through the door slowly, and silently descended the stairs. Faint fraction of a conversation floated up the stairs and she only caught a few words.

"They know..."

"...is it?"

"The...that they need."

"...will it help?"

"She can't...won't work..."

She halted when she reached the door and recognized the voices. Angel was there, with Wesley and Giles. There was another voice that was familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Miss Kirly! 

"We won't be able to keep her here," said a deep voice that she recognized as Gunn.

"He's right," Miss Kirly added, "Too many people are dying." 

"I know." Angel said. Buffy stayed hidden behind the wall and in the shadows. "She'll need to be covered twenty-four seven, though. This is what they want us to do, send her out. They know we can't keep the Slayer from her duty forever."

Buffy stifled the gasp that threatened to pass her lips. They were talking about _her._

"Did you find out about the vampire?" Giles asked.

"No," Angel replied bitterly, "Doyle came up empty. He knows that they got their hands on our sorcerer, and that he was killed afterward. But how they managed to find out about the spell in the first place is a mystery."

"And their next move?" Wesley inquired.

"He hasn't been told yet," Angel answered. "When they inform him, he'll be in contact. I'm afraid they might suspect a double agent in their midst. Doyle was asked to join the attack on Buffy and he had to stab himself to make it look like he was too injured to be involved."

"Tell him to be careful. The Council is known for luring out traitors," Giles said curtly. "By the way, we've been neglecting Buffy's training for too long. It will need to continue soon."

Angel sighed. "Rupert is right. How else will she be able to protect herself?"

_Protect myself; _Buffy thought angrily. _You seem to be doing a fine job of that.._ She shook her head in frustration and stepped from the darkness to confront them.

A cold callous hand firmly covered her mouth and a strong arm sneaked around her waist, dragging her silently back into the shadows. 


	9. Familiar Faces

****

* * * *

Chapter 9

* * * *

A cold, callous hand firmly covered her mouth and a strong arm snaked around her waist, dragging her silently back into the shadows.

She twisted and writhed in the iron grip as she was hauled up the steps. Her arms were pinned by her side and she began to panic when they passed the door. Grunting with the effort, she dug her heel into her attacker's shin. His grip momentarily loosened and it was enough for her to pull one arm free and elbow him in the stomach. Twisting from his grasp she smashed her fist into his face and watched him fly into the wall of the tunnel. He slammed into the rock violently but managed to stay on his feet. When he raised his head, she gaped at her assailant.

"Spike?" she gasped.

"Bleedin' strong punch you got there, Slayer." he replied dryly, rubbing his cheek.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

"Stopping you from making a big mistake."

"What do you mean?"

"They would never let you out if they find out you've been eavesdropping on them."

"I wasn't eavesdropping!" she protested indignantly. He raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"Oh no? What was that then? You accidentally made a wrong turn and ended up outside a hidden chamber beneath the school?"

"I was going to train!" she replied, "They weren't helping me so I decided to do it myself."

"Fair 'nuff."

"Yeah...wait!" her eyes sharpened, "What do you mean they won't let me out? And what are they keeping me from?"

"Look, pet, we're caught right in the middle of a war. Trying to protect a school of helpless kids while saving the world is a bloody big job."

"A war?" Buffy asked incredulously. "What's that got to do with me?"

He glanced at the door uneasily, then grabbed her arm and pulled her further into the tunnel, "You heard of the Council?" he asked. She nodded in confusion. "And you heard 'bout Kendra? Well, five months ago she quit the Council."

Buffy's eyes widened in surprise. "Slayer's are allowed to quit?"

"No, they aren't. But she didn't quit slaying, just the Council. 'Ya see, she fell in love with her Watcher and they didn't approve. The Council fired him and sent a replacement. Kendra wasn't happy and she escaped the country with her Watcher. They got married a couple of weeks later."

"Romantic. Now what's the point?" she asked irritably. 

"Wait on, I'm getting to it. Fiery, aren't 'ya?" he quickly continued when he received her glare, "Anyway, the head honcho decided if they couldn't control the Slayer, what were they good for? He went insane and decided to have Kendra killed so another could be called. Half of the Council were against it and the Council fell apart. The director began hiring demons and such to kill Kendra, and eventually, he succeeded in killing her and her husband."

Buffy stared at Spike in horror. The _Council _killed Kendra? The Council that was supposed to guide and help her? The Council that stood between the Slayer and her death? Buffy couldn't fathom the horror that she had been dragged in to.

"But Giles..."

"Is good. Only a few followed their insane boss to the dark side. The others, well most of them went back to living a normal life. But a few, like Giles and Miss Kirly, are now working against 'em."

"My God..." Buffy whispered in disgust.

"Got that right. But listen..." he trailed off, his head snapping towards the staircase, "Bloody hell. Get going, quick." 

"What..." But she heard the approaching footsteps and took heed to his warning. With one more glance at Spike, she turned and fled back down the tunnel. Slipping back into the library, she released her breath and strode across the room. As the huge doors shut softly behind her, she heard the wall slide open once more. With stealth that even a vampire couldn't execute, she rushed down the empty corridor.

When she glanced over her shoulder, it was due to her improved senses that she managed to stop seconds before she bowled into one annoyed potential.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?" Faith snarled.

"Jeez, sorry."

"So you should be." she replied, pushing past her roughly.

"Faith!" Buffy called. The brunette stopped but didn't turn around.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

Faith hesitated at the unexpected question, but quickly recovered her sneer. "Just five-by-five, B."

"What the hell is your problem?" Buffy demanded. She was sick of the dirty looks, the shallow insults and all round bitchiness.

"My problem?" she asked.

"I'm sick of the way you treat me. I want to know what I've done." Buffy stood waiting, her hands on her hips. Faith smirked, but after a few moments her harsh glare faltered, then crumbled.

"You wouldn't understand," she replied quietly.

Buffy was shocked at how easily the brunette had broken. She thought it would take at least a few minutes of yelling and accusing before Faith would even relent. But apparently, the other girl was already at boiling point, and she was ready to cool.

"Try me," she replied gently.

"It's not you," she began, "It's who you are."

"Um..." Buffy said, unsure of what the brunette meant.

"You're the Slayer," she stated simply, as though that remark explained everything, "You have strength, you have power, you have.... an identity. All I ever wanted..." she trailed off, and Buffy gaped at her. The silence thickened.

"Are you _crazy?"_ Buffy asked incredulously, causing Faith to start with her outburst. "You actually want this? To be the Slayer? 'Cause if there was a choice, I'd give it all to you in a second."

"But you have power..."

"Power? Does power disqualify the fact that I'll more than likely be dead in a year?"

"Dead?" Faith blinked in confusion.

"I will have to risk my life every night, fighting demons and vampires, and save the world every time there's some big bad until the day I die. Love, marriage, kids and a _life_ all gets thrown out the window, Faith. It ain't all slays and smiles. It's death and pain and grief." she finished off the small speech with surprise. She didn't even know she felt those things, and as she spoke them she realized how true it all was.

"That's better than nothing." Faith replied bitterly.

"Nothing?"

"That's all I've ever had, B," she spat, "Nothing. No parents, no friends, no school, no _life. _Then Angel saves me and tells me I may have something, something important. Something that can make a difference in this hellhole. But then you're called, and I'm left back in the dirt."

"You're not left in..."

"Yeah, I am. What's left for me, huh?" she asked sharply.

"Faith." Buffy answered.

"What?"

"You are what's left. You, Faith. You don't need to be the Slayer to fight evil and help the world. You're already training to help the world."

Faith didn't look convinced and rolled her eyes. Buffy tried a different approach. "Why don't you train with me, then one day I'll take you patrolling?"

Faith glanced at her in confusion. "But you're the Slayer..."

"So? Who said you need super powers to hunt demons? You already have some power in you since you're a potential. All you need are the skills. I could teach you."

"You...but why would you do that?" she asked suspiciously.

"'Cause you want to fight, and I want some help. Make's sense doesn't it?" Buffy smiled as she could see Faith trying to comprehend what she was being asked.

"Well, yeah, kinda." she replied finally.

"Then it's settled. Once I've learnt the ropes, I'll teach you and we'll be slaying sisters. How's that?"

For the first time since laying eyes on the brunette, Buffy saw a genuine smile, "That'd be five-by-five, B."

"Good. I'll see you later?"

"Sure, whatever." Then Faith turned and strolled down the corridor, but Buffy saw the extra bounce in her step.

Buffy shook her head at the strange conversation and slid into the recreation room. Her heart was still racing from her quick escape and from the horrifying story that she had just been told. 

As she thought over what she had been told, she shivered. What scared her the most, was that _humans _were the motive behind it. Not It was because of these humans, insane or not, that the last Slayer had been killed and her life had been turned upside down.

"Buffy." 

She jumped in fright when Angel materialized in the doorway.

"Angel...hi." she said nervously.

"How are you?" he asked, searching her eyes for her answer. She knew he didn't mean how she was, but how she was coping.

"Uh, not bad." she answered carefully.

"Good," he murmured, and she could see he didn't believe her for a second. "And classes?"

"Great!" she breathed with fake cheerfulness. "Your lessons are really interesting."

"Nice to hear," he smiled knowingly, "I thought maybe they weren't when Mr. Harris decided to sleep his way through the last one."

She chuckled a bit too loudly, "Nah, he does that in every class."

He nodded and Buffy realized just how handsome he was. He couldn't be any older than twenty and Buffy was amazed at how someone so young could carry the responsibility of so many students. 

"If you ever want to talk, you know where my office is." She nodded and he gave her one more piercing glance before retreating from the room. She sighed in relief and made her way to the television where her friends were watching Burgo's Catch Phrase.

"In over your head!" Xander shouted at the same time as Cordelia yelled, "Top's the cake!"

Oz smirked and said, "Don't bite off more than you can chew."

The contestant buzzed and said, "Don't bite off more than you can chew."

"Correct!" 

Oz sat back into the chair as Xander and Cordelia scowled. 

"Me and Oz are winning by seventeen!" Willow announced.

"'Ya think?" Cordelia grumbled sarcastically.

Buffy slumped onto the floor in front of them.

"Buffy! Come and help us!" Xander moaned in hello.

"Sorry guys, but you're on your own," she said, "I'm the worst at this game."

They continued to play; well Willow and Oz continued to play while the other two persisted in saying the first thing that came to their minds, no matter how ridiculous. Once it ended, Willow grabbed the remote and surfed through the channels.

Buffy couldn't join in their fun; she was too stunned and horrified. Spike hadn't managed to tell her the whole story and she was itching to find out. Despite the awfulness of it, it was something that involved her and she needed to find out what it was.

"God, that's so sad." Willow announced as she stopped on one channel. Buffy raised her head to the television and froze when she saw a very familiar face. The woman was crying and speaking into the camera.

"Baby, I love you so much and I won't stop looking for you. Please whoever has my baby bring her back to me. Buffy, I love you."

"Hey, Buff, that woman's daughter has the same name as you! Ain't that weird..." Xander stopped when he saw the shocked look frozen on his friend's face. "...Buffy?"

Buffy stared at the screen, frozen in shock. Once the news went back to the weather she could only choke out one word.

"Mom."


	10. Home and Heartache

__

Wow, almost SIXTY REVIEWS already! I didn't think this story would capture many people's attention, but I hope I'm wrong! Thanks to all those who reviewed...and now a few personal acknowledgments:

gidgetgirl- Thank you SO MUCH for nominating this story! Your reviews just brighten my day, and I love your views on where this story could go. Thank you!

Keifer- Glad to see you're hooked!

shahid- Your reviews make me laugh aloud! I love your enthusiasm for this story, and I hope I don't disappoint. I'm trying to keep up with you requests, so keep reviewing!

Madison- I'm writing as fast as I can so hang in there! 

ms trick and Mad Kat- Where are you? I miss your encouragement! 

A/N- I'm going to try a different style in this chapter, just for something different, where the scenes go from one to the other and explain what happened in between in the next chapter. Please review and tell me whether it works or not!

* * * *

Chapter 10

* * * *

"Are you sure you want to go?"

"Of course I am!" Buffy replied resolutely as she grasped her bed sheet, "My mum thinks I've been kidnapped, for God's sake. I can't just leave her grieving for me while I'm lazing about here."

Willow sighed and grabbed the other side of her sheet, helping her friend remake her bed. "Well, just hurry back, okay?"

Buffy smiled sadly, "I'll try," She pulled the sheet and tucked it under the mattress. "There, done." One look at the morose redhead caused her to collect Willow in a tight hug. "I'll be back in a week, promise."

"What if your mum doesn't want you to come back?" Willow asked as they released each other.

"Well, I have to go to school somewhere won't I?" Buffy asked pointedly, "And if Wesley's idea works, then she won't let me go back to the school I'm in now." 

"Yeah, I suppose." she agreed reluctantly.

"Good." Buffy said as she opened the door to their room and stepped into the hallway, "Now I've got to go, so I'll see you later, okay?" 

"Buff," said a familiar voice from behind her, "You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye now, were you?"

Buffy grinned and turned around, "No, Xand, wouldn't do that to you." She found herself enfolded in a big bear hug. 

"Gonna miss you," he grumbled with a crest-fallen expression.

"Miss you too," she replied wistfully, reluctantly moving from his grip. "And you Oz. Where's Cordy?"

"Where is Cordelia usually?" Xander said as he rolled his eyes.

Buffy smiled slightly, "I didn't see her in front of the mirror."

They laughed and Xander shook his head, "She's hitting on Gunn in the library with that Harmony girl."

"Oh, okay. Tell her I said bye," she said, and with one more apologetic glance at her friends, she turned and walked away.

* * * *

"You know what your doing, Slayer?"

"Off by heart, Spike," she replied as she dismounted his bike. He gave her a withering look. They had left Angel's School for the Gifted that morning, her legs gripping the bike tightly and her arms wrapped around his waist tight enough to cause some bruises. She'd spent the ride telling Spike about her mom and dad, and by the way Buffy described them, he thought Joyce sounded like a damn fine woman. Hank, on the other hand, didn't get Spike's approval. Anyone who needed to fight with a woman like Buffy's mum was a bleedin' idiot in his books.

"Right then. Go reassure your olds," he nodded, then gunned the accelerator and drove off in a screeching off wheels.

Buffy stood on the side of the road, watching the bike disappear around the corner. With a sigh, she turned to face the house that had been her home for her whole life. Everything looked the same. The only thing that had changed since she'd left was...well, her.

Guilt washed over her as she stared at her childhood home. Inside, her mother and father were more than likely sitting by the phone waiting desperately for news about her whereabouts. Meanwhile, she had been schooling in the art of Slaying mystical demons and vampires. And she'd never thought of how her disappearing act had affected her parents. Despite their differences- and fighting- she knew that her parents loved her more than anything else. How would they have felt when they went to wake their only daughter and found an empty bed and no sign of her?

Buffy took a deep breath and went over her story in her mind. Although the though of lying to her parents made her feel ill, it couldn't be helped. It would do no good to anyone if she told them the truth and found herself locked in a mental asylum. So, this story would have to do.

She stepped nervously up the path, and climbed the three steps to the door. Listening for the familiar yells and screaming insults, she was surprised to hear silence. She raised her hand to the smooth wood, but it remained stagnant in the air. It dropped to her side, but with a quick shake of her head she raised it, hesitated for only a second before bringing it into contact with her front door.

She could hear her knock echo through the house behind the door and bit her lip in apprehension. From somewhere inside, soft footsteps padded the ground, and Buffy straightened stiffly.

The door was opened and Buffy saw her mother's drawn and weary expression a spilt second before her mother saw her. Her eyes were rimmed with red and black bags circled the saddened eyes. 

Joyce Summers glanced up at her visitor and froze. _It isn't her, _she thought tediously; _my eyes are tricking me. _But the image of her daughter didn't dissolve as she half expected it to. As the reality came crashing down on her a strangled sob escaped her lips, and she collapsed to the ground in overwhelmed relief.

"Mom!" Buffy called in fright as her mother collapsed in the doorway. She knelt beside Joyce and circled her arms around her recently slimmed body, offering comfort and support. She raised her head and met her daughter's eyes.

"B-Buffy?" she whispered in disbelief, her eyes hungrily drinking in the familiar sight of her daughter.

"It's me, mom." Buffy whispered back, "I'm home."

* * * *

"So, let's go through this one more time," the rounded police officer said excruciatingly slow.

Buffy sighed in repressed frustration. This was the fourth time she had been through it, and each time it was becoming harder to lay the facts- if that's what you would call a cleverly devised story- down correctly.

The first twenty minutes after her return had been spent in her mother's shaking arms and holding her while she cried. Once the hysterics and shock had worn off, she had been barraged with questions and demanded answers. Buffy had quietly suggested that they call the police and take her off the missing person's list before commencing what she knew would be a grueling long answer to her whereabouts. The police had insisted on coming to hear her story and begin the investigation on her kidnapper, but from the story she was about to tell them, Buffy knew they wouldn't get far.

Her mother sat by her side and gripped her arm tightly, afraid that her daughter would somehow disappear again if she let go. The police had been here for two hours already, and still didn't understand Wesley's apparently 'foolproof' plan. The officer sitting opposite her in the living room was around fifty, had a reseeding, gray hairline and was hugely over weight. His large frame was taking up nearly the whole couch and his poor, younger and thinner partner was forced to stand against the doorframe. 

"Now," said the officer whom Buffy had dubbed Tubby, "You were doing your homework in your room on Friday the eleventh of March, when you heard a crashing sound, which we assume was the window breaking. Before you managed to get a look of your assailant, you were knocked unconscious. Is that correct?"

Buffy exhaled deeply, trying to gain control of her irritation. "For the twentieth time, _yes."_

"Buffy," her mother reprimanded, "These kind gentlemen are trying to help you. The least you could do is act polite!"

"Sorry," she mumbled, sicker of this charade she was playing than of the officer's annoying questions.

"Right, then you woke up in a small room at an inn that you don't know the name of, in a town that's name you never thought to find out, and fled without thinking of calling the police." 

"I told you, I didn't remember who I was," Buffy replied. The story was beginning to sound ridiculous to her own ears, and she silently fumed at Wesley's assumption that Sunnydale police weren't bright enough to question it.

"Okay, and when you did remember, you jumped on a bus without paying and came straight home. You were unconscious for a week, you say?" The shrill ringing of a phone interrupted Buffy's answer. The thin, nervous looking officer turned a shade of red and drew out a mobile from his pocket. He quickly left the room, only to appear moments later.

"The test came back positive," he confirmed, "Buffy was drugged; that's why she was unconscious all this time. Her abductor issued her the drug probably every twelve hours. Memory loss is a common side effect after extensive use so her story is plausible."

Tubby nodded in relief; obviously he didn't want to be here any more than mother and daughter did. He shook Joyce's hand, offered Buffy free counseling if she was traumatized- to which she abruptly refused- and left with his scrawny partner. Once they departed, Joyce turned to her and pulled her into a long hug.

"I missed you so much, honey," she whispered.

"Sorry, mom," she replied softly.

"God, baby, it's not your fault!" Joyce murmured into her shoulder. Once they released each other, Buffy gave her mother a quizzical glance.

"Mom, where's dad?" she asked and instantly regretted it as her mother's face crumbled. Fresh tears fell from her eyes and Buffy grabbed her shoulders to support her. "Mom?"

"Buffy," she said, "Your father...he's-he's gone."

"Gone?" she asked perplexed. 

Joyce gave her a bitter smile, and muttered equally bitter, "He's left me, left_ us_, Buffy."

Buffy heart jumped into her throat, "What do you mean, left us?"

"I mean he's run away with his secretary and left us in the dirt." Her voice was filled with pain, loathing and acrimony.

"D-dad? N-no, he wouldn't do that!" she cried in denial.

"I'm so sorry, honey, it wasn't you. It was u-us. We've been having problems for a while now, and he filed for divorce a couple of days ago." Joyce swallowed deeply, "With you gone, he didn't have a reason to stay."

"The BASTARD!" Buffy screamed as she twisted away from her mother's touch. 

"Buffy!" her mother breathed in shock.

"How could he leave- leave me a-and you!" she shouted in rage. "Did he think I was dead? I bet he _wished _I were dead. That way he could go screw his secretary without feeling guilty! Did he even care what happened to me? Did he care how you would cope without a daughter or husband? The...the..." she floundered as it all became clear.

He didn't. He didn't care about her, or her mother. He didn't care if she was dead, or if Joyce would cope. Did he even love her? Buffy felt the burning tears threaten to fall but forced them back. When she gazed at her mother, she realized her mistake. Joyce looked horrified and distressed. Of course she would have already asked herself these question many times over, and Buffy had involuntarily shoved them in her face. 

Buffy informed her mother that she was going to her room. Joyce nodded numbly, and watched her daughter hurtle up the stairs. Buffy fought the urge to cry and instead, flopped onto her bed. Staring at the ceiling, her thoughts spun in the same vortex repeatedly.

How could he...did he care...was he thinking of her...did he love her...how could he...did he care...was he thinking of her...did he love her... how could he...did he care...was he thinking of her...did he love her...

She bit back the sobs and twisted onto her stomach. So much had changed and her life was spinning out of control...out of _her _control. A week ago her life had been normal: she was popular, pretty and idolized in school. Her friends were great, school was school and her family was- well, not perfect but good none the less- and life was _normal. _Now, she was the Slayer, she went to school with witches and werewolves, she was taught by demons and now her parents were divorcing. 

The urge to cry was strengthening, and her power to hold them back was slowly ebbing away. But the tears did not fall; she wouldn't give _him _that satisfaction. He didn't deserve tears.

There was a knock at her door and she turned her neck to see her mom poke her head through the door.

"Uh, Buffy?" she said uncertainly, "I need to discuss something with you."

Buffy felt her throat constrict. What else could possible happen to ruin her life?

"Well, after all that's-that's happened, I think it might be best if we...move to L.A."

"Move? To L.A?" Buffy repeated, as though trying out the words for the first time.

"This place doesn't have many good memories, does it? I feel it best if we start over, and that would mean a new place," she replied sitting beside her daughter. "Now, I know you won't be happy moving away from her friends, but I feel L.A may be good for us, and you'll make some new friends eventually. Now don't get angry..."

"Angry?" Buffy interrupted, a smile spreading across her lips, "Mom, this is the best news I've had in a long time!"

Joyce shot her a look of surprise, but it was soon replaced by one of relief, "You want to go? Oh, Buffy, I swear things will get better. I promise."

Buffy smiled as her mother left the room, but a frown soon took over when she remembered her father's betrayal. With an angry shrug, she switched her stereo on, closing her eyes as the loud, fast beat of the music filled her. Staring at the ceiling, she had an uneasy notion that she had lain angrily on this bed with her music blaring the night Spike had come and saved her. She sat up quickly, and peered out the window. 

Nothing disturbed the silent night, but she could feel the evil that wandered the streets, searching for their next victim.


	11. Balancing Act

__

Sorry about the wait, but I lost this entire chapter so I had to type it all again. Short I know, but I didn't want to take the attention away from the content with unnecessary details.

vampyre64- If you read chapter 8, it might give you a few ideas about what gifts the student's may have. All of them are different in one way or another, so I leave the details up to your imagination. Also, I've got nothing against B/X, but I had already planned to write the B/X friendship that I love so much.

gidgetgirl- As always, I love your reviews and ideas. Thanks for the nit-pick on 'mum'. I'm just too much of an Aussie. *grins*. Keep 'em coming!

Keifer- Glad I made you so excited, though you probably won't thank me for making you look like an idiot in front of the folks. LOL, sorry!

* * * *

Chapter 11

* * * *

The girl strolled down the empty street, seemingly deep in thought. He smirked to himself and stayed lost in the shadows, hunger eating at his stomach. He hadn't eaten for twenty-four hours and this girl would do fine for his next meal. Well, she was a bit too small, so maybe she would be the entrée.

His stomach gave a tiny jump at the prospect of being filled with the girl's hot, rushing blood. He could hear the flow of it through her throbbing veins, and he could feel the vibrations beneath his feet from her small footfalls.

She was only a few feet away now; all he had to do was to reach out and grab her. Her hands were shoved in the pockets of her jeans and he saw her bit her lip in musings. Easy pickings...didn't the residents in this town know it wasn't safe to go outside after dark? They were so naïve; so caught up in their own life and too busy rationalizing every strange thing they saw. 

He was only a foot behind her now, and he reached out with his hand, stretching it until it was only an inch away from her shoulder...

The girl's hand shot up and grabbed his arm, but he was too surprised to shake her off. With one effortless tug, he found himself flying over her shoulder and landing painfully on the path in front of her. 

"You may not have a reflection, but you do have a shadow, you idiot," she mocked and all he could do was stare as she thrust the stake into his heart.

* * * *

Buffy strolled slowly down the street, seemingly oblivious to the soft footfalls behind her. The night had called to her from her bedroom and the drive to be surrounded by it forced her to slip out of her window. The shadow behind her quickened its pace and didn't notice her slight hesitation. 

She was ripped from her reverie when sharp tingles shot down her spine. Someone, no _something,_ was behind her...something evil. Her throat constricted and her eyes flicked to the road where the street lamp cast a circle of light on the asphalt. Her mind quickly formulated a plan, and she forced herself to calm down. Concentrating on slowing her breathing, she continued to walk down the path, acting as though she were lost in her thoughts and bit her lip.

The shivers became stronger and she noticed with surprise that she could sense and follow its movements. It was only a few steps behind her now, and a little to her left. Buffy was just about to pass another street lamp. Glancing at the road from the corners of her eyes, she saw her own shadow in the flood of light. And just as she had predicted, a second shadow followed her own. She saw its hand reach out towards her, and before she could form any coherent thoughts, grabbed the arm and pulled with all her strength.

The vampire was flung over her shoulder and landed a few feet away, shocked motionless. Heart thudding in her chest, Buffy hastened to its side and pulled the stake from her jacket sleeve. 

"You may not have a reflection," she mocked, "But you do have a shadow, you idiot." With one powerful jab, her stake slammed into the vampire's heart and Buffy jumped back in surprise as it exploded into dust.

She could only watch in rapt amazement as the dust was scattered by the slight breeze. She had staked her first vampire. It was shock, and not fright, that kept her rooted to the spot. She stared at the spot where the bloodsucker had laid only moments before. Her first vampire; she had staked her first vampire. She waited for the fright and panic to take a hold of her, but none came. Instead, she felt alive. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, and feelings of excitement and exhilaration sped through her. Never before had she felt anything like the thrill of slaying. The power inside her was unimaginable, and the urge to release it was incredibly strong. She had just slain a vampire, and now she craved for more.

Suddenly, that tiny hole in her heart that had always been there disappeared. She'd always been looking for something else and something more in her life. And now she knew what had been missing- her. She was the Slayer: born the Slayer, lived the Slayer, and until that day when the torch would be passed onto someone else, she would be the Slayer. She would always be Buffy of course, but Buffy and the Slayer were the one and the same. One could not survive without the other.

For the first time in her life, Buffy was whole. 

As she slipped the stake back into her jacket with an exhilarated shiver, she embraced the primeval desire to slay. On some level, she knew that she hadn't enough experience to slay many vampires without being killed, but she ignored it. The force inside her was screaming to be liberated and used. She wanted to slay. She wanted to fight and hit and punch_._ She wanted to kick and stab and stake.She needed the thrill, the stimulation. 

An indescribable power surged through her blood, a feeling so intense that it felt as though her body was on fire. It was incredible- a power so strong and unrestrained that her body felt detached from her mind. This is what she had been missing her entire life, this sensation of utter strength. She was unimaginably strong and she knew it. It felt like she could do anything and everything she wanted to. Everything was hers for the taking and the world had been laid at her feet.

She knew she could break that iron gate if she wanted to. She knew she could jump the gate too, if she wanted. She knew she could be back at her house within a minute if she wanted to. She knew she could stake the vampire that was sneaking up behind her.

Spinning on her heel, she instinctively ducked and plunged the stake into its heart, and she did this all in the confines of a second. She had sensed the exact position of the vampire, exactly where he had stood and what he had felt. 

The feeling of power engulfed her. 

She was the Slayer, and she could do anything.

A sharp pain sliced through her arm and when she gazed down she discovered a deep gash on her arm. The vampire must have cut her with its nails. The wound burned. 

Buffy snapped back to reality when she realized that she had almost been overcome with the Slayer. Alarm flitted through her. She wasn't immortal; she was just as capable of being killed than any other human is. Despite the faster healing, she was not imperishable. 

The craving to kill was abating, and the untamed inner-monologue was replaced with reason. She wasn't ready to patrol alone and although it had taken her thoughts away from her betraying father, it wouldn't take the problem away. 

With sudden clarity, she understood that she had to balance the Slayer and herself. The Slayer was a primeval force to be reckoned with, but she was lonely, bitter and focused on one thing. Buffy wasn't as strong, but she had friends, family and a life to contend with; by combining the two, she would be balanced, and impossible to destroy. 

Overcome with this awareness, Buffy knew that she had something only one other Slayer had possessed- ties to the world. Without them, she knew that she would have eventually given up. She knew Kendra had given up- after the death of her husband, what else was left for her in this world? Buffy shivered at the thought of losing her links. 

A new determination radiated through her. She knew what Faith had craved and why she had done so now. She had strength; she had power; but most of all, she had a chance to right the wrong. This was her chance to improve the world- and she was going to seize it.


	12. Mothers and Grandmas and Vampires, Oh My...

__

As always, thanks for the reviews! If you've got any suggestions tell me, and I'll do my best to use them.

By the way, I'm thinking of shelving my other story "The Second Coming" due to lack of interest from the readers. If you read and tell me not to I might be compelled otherwise...

Also, I'm writing a Buffy/Faith story, so if anyone's interested in beta reading it please email me. Ta!

Anyway, enough with the shameless plugging and on with the story...

* * * *

Chapter 12

* * * *

Buffy sighed as her grandmother continued to insult in front of her mother.

"Joyce dear, look at her," she gestured towards Buffy's slouching figure slumped on the couch. "All skin and bone, not any sign of the curves women should have. What kind of gentleman in his right mind would fall for that?"

She gritted her teeth and pretended she hadn't heard the remark. Focusing instead on the television in front of her, she blocked the rest of the conversation from her ears. There was nothing interesting on, but the melodramatic soap was better than her grandmother's cynical comments. 

It had been four days since they had left Sunnydale for the city of Los Angeles. And it had been five days since her mother had proposed the move. Joyce had already planned to move into her mother's apartment before Buffy's return, so all they needed to do was to pack Buffy's things and burn her father's. A day after her return they were driving past the 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign and away from her childhood home. It had all been so fast that Buffy hadn't even had to time to think.

But now, having been shut away with her mother and grandmother for two days, she was beginning to go insane. She needed to get out. She needed to get away from her mother's quiet crying when she thought nobody could hear. She needed to get away from her grandmother's scathing comments. She needed to get away from the reminders of her father. 

Slouching even further into the couch, she let her thoughts wonder to the school where she had been a resident. She had been waiting impatiently for the contact Wesley had promised, but so far, there had been no word. He had brushed aside her questions of how he would find her location, informing her that he had many contacts and it would take less than twelve hours to pinpoint her. The longing to be back among the friends she had made and be a part of the school was growing, and she ached for the time when she would patrol every night.

Her thoughts wandered back to the information Spike had told her the night she had accidentally overheard her teachers talking about her. Her memories were vague but she recollected that he had mentioned a war. What was the war he spoke of? What reason would justify a war? And who was it between? 

She massaged her temples as it all became too much. She needed to get out. And fast. She stood abruptly, capturing the attention of the two women sitting at the coffee table.

"Are you going somewhere, Buffy?" Joyce asked. 

"Ah, yeah," she replied as she crossed the room. "Just for a walk. I'll be back in an hour."

"I don't think you should go," her grandmother pronounced, narrowing her eyes. "It's nearly dark our there, what if she's attacked?"

Buffy rolled her eyes and grinned at the irony of it. The Slayer's grandmother worrying that she would be attacked at nighttime. Buffy debated what would happen should she explain that she was going to kill vampires, but she didn't think her mother would approve of giving her grandmother a stroke.

She went into her room, which was actually her grandmother's study, and covered her body with the hidden stakes she had carved the night before. Extra sharp and thin, they were far easier to use than the one she had on her first night of patrolling. She had tested them last night and found them quicker to maneuver and easier to pierce the heart. 

She had barely slept a wink the night before. She had returned home from the cemetery reveling in the pride that she felt at having staked three vampires in the extent of two hours. And only sporting a few bruises and cuts, she considered the night a success.

And now, less than twelve hours later, she was itching for a fight. Although she knew that Giles- and not to mention the rest of her teachers- would have her hide for patrolling alone and without any experience, she couldn't help herself. She knew that she was endangering herself, but the desire for exhilaration and danger was simply too irresistible to control.

She grabbed a leather jacket from her still unpacked bag and realized in shock that it was Spike's duster. She recalled Spike throwing it to her before their drive and saying that it would keep the dust and grime off her. In all the rush, she must have forgotten about it, and it had somehow ended up in her travelling bag.

She shook her head at the absurdity of it but shrugged it on nonetheless. Although a few sizes too big, it fit her comfortably and she loved the way it flared out behind her when she walked. _Looked much better on Spike though_, she thought, then mentally smacked herself at the completely promiscuous thought. 

Where the hell had that come from? Over the week she had spent at ASG, she had held many conversations with the men in charge. And she had to admit that many of them piqued her curiosity. 

Gunn reminded her of a boy she had been infatuated with in her first year at high school. He had been tall, attractive and had that swagger that only African-American's could pull off. She had never spoken to him, and he had graduated a year later. Gunn seemed to be in complete control of himself and Buffy couldn't help but admire his attitude.

Wesley, in his rugged, sharp ambience, had an intellectual air about him. His eyes spoke of years of labor, grief and hardships that saddened Buffy to see in a man so young. While not so much good-looking, Wesley was an interesting character.

Then came Angel. Buffy just couldn't figure him out. One moment he was mister laid-back-and-tell-jokes, then the next he was mister I've-got-a-problem-so-I'm-going-to-brood. One day he would be smiling and happy, then the next he would be frowning and secretive. If there were one word to describe Angel, mysterious would top the cake. Although, handsome would come in a close second. What harm could a schoolgirl crush on her teacher do? Not much.

Spike. What the hell was his deal? She had been indebted to him when he had saved her life, but hadn't managed to thank him. He probably thought she was an ungrateful brat, too young to realize that he had saved her from a most likely painful death at the hands of thirty or so vampires. She was disgusted in herself for the lack of appreciation she had shown him, but she swore that she would once, _if _she ever returned to the school.

She didn't understand what part he played at the school. Obviously not a teacher, but he didn't fit the description of anything else. He seemed to turn up unexpectedly, always silently and always managing to scre the hell out of her. There was something about him that she couldn't unearth, something that made her shiver whenever she saw him...

Armed and ready, Buffy shook away her thoughts and left the confines of her grandmother's apartment despite her objections at Buffy's state of dress. Shoving her hands into the pockets of the duster she strolled down the street, hiding in the shadows of the buildings.

The street was alive with bustling pedestrians and wearied drivers. Cars tooted each other in annoyance, their drivers poking their heads out the window and abusing their fellow motorists. Buffy slid silently and unseen through the rush, moving from shadow to shadow like a ghost. This was one of her favourite part's of slaying: the ability to travel as a shadow, stealing from place to place without being seen by anything or anyone. Sometimes she would be seen, but as soon as she melted into the darkness she would see them shake it off as a trick of light. 

It made her feel invisible, as though she had the capability to do what she pleased. And it gave her a sense of safety, knowing that she could disappear when the need arose.

She arrived at the cemetery a few blocks away from her grandmother's apartment and vaulted over the tall iron wall. She landed lightly on her toes and was away immediately, weaving through the gravestones and following her slayer senses, which were currently going haywire. Only a few minutes later she was jumped from behind and tackled to the ground. With unexpected ease she flipped onto her feet and staked the vampire before he even move. Either the vampires were getting stupider, or she was becoming quicker and stronger.

Three fledglings later, Buffy tired of the cemetery and opted to patrol the streets instead. She had patrolled for three nights, but this was the first time she would be interacting with vampires that were actually on the hunt. And not ten minutes later she heard the sound of a woman's scream. Tearing across the street and into the alley, she came upon a familiar tall girl surrounded by no less than five vampires. 

"What's a pretty lass like you doing all alone?" vampire number one snarled at the frightened girl, whom Buffy recognized as one of her classmates.

"Not that we're complaining," vampire number two leered. "Make's meals a lot easier."

"Now, I'm gonna have to disagree with that," Buffy declared as she crossed her arms in front chest, causing the vampires to whirl around in surprise. The petite blonde behind them instantly replaced their focus on the tall girl.

"Well, what do we have here?" vampire number three growled.

"A terrified little girl that you're obviously going to try to eat," Buffy replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Got that correct, wee lassie," returned vampire number one as he lunged at her. With a quick prayer of luck and hope, she forgot to think and allowed the smooth motions to take over. Buffy ducked his wild swing and swept his legs from beneath him, reaching up to stake vampire number two before finishing off the first one. As the other three collapsed on her simultaneously, she rolled out of the way, straightened and pushed off the wall, landing on the other side of them.

"Sorry, that is incorrect, but you do win a nifty little stake in your heart," she quipped, dusting vampire number three from behind. With a strong punch vampire number four was sent flying into the heap of wooden boxes, exploding into dust as a broken segment of wood sliced through its chest. Turning to vampire number five, she placed the stake beneath her mouth and used it as a microphone, "Now contestant number two, do you take the stake or leave with your heart intact?"

As she had predicted the vampire fled down the alley. She debated for a moment, and less than a second later her stake was speeding through the air and slammed into the vampires back, disappearing along with it. 

Turning her attention back to the cowering girl, she knelt beside her and lifted her chin.

"Hey, you're all right now," she said with a slight smile.

"W-what...oh my god," the girl whispered with a shake of her head. "This isn't happening...t-they were vampires?" 

"Don't worry about them, you're safe now."

"Thank you so much," the girl said as Buffy helped her to stand.

"But...how? You look so young." 

She shrugged, "What can I say? Destiny's a bitch."

The girl opened her mouth to reply when her eyes widened in horror. Buffy instinctively ducked, pulling the girl down beside her and kicked her leg into the air. She caught the vampire behind her in the jaw, knocking him back into his companion. She quickly stood and thrust her stake into its chest, proceeding to give its mate the same fate, when, to her surprise, it combusted into dust before her stake reached its destination. 

"Got your back, B," In front of her, smirking wildly, stood Faith.

"Faith, what the hell are you doing here?" she asked her unexpected aid.

"Clubbing," she replied with a grin, jerking her head to the building beside them. Buffy could hear the loud beat of the music from inside and took notice of Faith's outfit. _Or lack of,_ she thought to herself. "What a coincidence, huh? But what are you doing here? I thought you were meant to be in good ol' SunnyD."

Buffy scuffed the toe of her sneaker on the gravel, "I uh...we moved here. Me and mom," she replied.

"Bit sudden don't ya think?" Faith replied skeptically, then hurried on, "Not that I'm complaining or nothing, but it's pretty freaky, isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah," Buffy responded, glancing down at her shoes and avoiding the brunette's questioning gaze.

"Well anyway, B, that show you put on was pretty impressive." 

Buffy grinned, "Thanks,"

"No, problem. But, _god,_ did that adrenaline rush feel good. That was better than a shot of tequila any day. And this is your job! You're bloody lucky, you know that?"

"Faith," Buffy sighed, "You do realize you could have been killed? You were meant to wait until _after _I gave you lessons."

"Who cares?" she snorted, "I staked the thing good and proper, didn't I? Nat," she said, facing the tall girl, "you good?" 

She nodded dumbly, casting nervous looks in Buffy's direction, and allowed Faith to take her arm. "Hey B, wanna get some more violence? I'll just take Nat back inside..."

Buffy shook her head apologetically, "Sorry Faith, but I'm about to head back. Been patrolling for a while now." She didn't want Faith in any more danger than she needed to be, and Buffy didn't think she would be able to protect herself and Faith when she was struggling with the first. 

Faith nodded her crestfallen face and helped Nat back towards the club. Stopping suddenly, she dug into her pocket and pulled out a white envelope. "Angel gave me this to post to you, but since you're here what the hell," she said, handing it over to her. "Good to see 'ya, B. Your mates are missing you, and I swear Willow has copied all her notes for you," she grinned and Buffy chuckled. "Oh, and her and Oz are together." 

"What? Seriously?" she asked incredulously. Well, she _had _seen the admiring looks from both parties and she knew it had been bound to happen sooner to later. 

"Yeah, and Xander and Cordy are still at each others throats. All the teachers are acting weird, man. Anyway, I'll see you soon?"

Buffy shook her head, "Yeah, hope so anyway."

Faith left with her friend in tow, leaving Buffy alone in the alley. Glancing at the envelope in her hand, she opened it curiously. She read the first line and grinned.

* * * *

"We would like to inform you that you daughter, Buffy Anne Summers, has been accepted into Angel's School for the Gifted. Your daughter's past school reports have greatly impressed the staff at ASG, and we would like to extend an invitation for her to attend our school. We understand that she was removed from Sunnydale High School for reasons unknown and we would like to ensure you that we shall do nothing but the best for your daughter's education. Her excellent standard of work and ability to converse with others is apparent and we take great pleasure in this invitation. Please call the following number if you have an queries…Buffy, this is amazing!" Joyce exclaimed, smiling proudly at her daughter. 

"Yeah…well," she shrugged, grinning inwardly at what she knew was Giles' attempt at hidden humor. She remembered his horror after telling him of her less than great marks at school and her notion of what 'homework' consisted of. _What a surprise...Watcher-boy has a humor,_ she thought to herself. "So...can I go?" 

Joyce stared at her daughter as though she were crazy. "Of course you can! This is exactly what we were looking for, and it seems a nice enough school. I might give this number a call tonight and ask about a few queries I have, but I think this may be the best option we have."

"It's the _only _option we have, mom," she replied, poking her head into the fridge and extracting a bottle of water. 

"Uh, yes, I suppose so," Her eyes scanned further down the page and her eyes narrowed, her lips forming a frown.

"Mom?"

"Buffy, this is a boarding school," she answered, "I didn't know that. I don't want you to leave home, you're all I've...got left."

Buffy winced at her mother's pained expression. "Mom, that's why this will be good for both of us. I need a change of scene and you... well you need some time out. Get yourself sorted out, work through...this. You need to speak with another adult, someone like grandma and go out on the town or something. Meet some people your own age. And you know I'm just a phone call away, so you can reach me whenever you want," Buffy softened her voice and grabbed her mom's hand. "Mom, this school sounds really good, and I want to go there. Please?"

Joyce sighed and rested against the kitchen bench. She knew her daughter was right- she did need some time out, and she needed to meet people her own age.

"Okay, okay, you can go," she said only to be squashed in Buffy's hug. She squealed in glee, and Joyce chuckled before realizing that air was becoming a bit restricted. "Buffy, dear...need to breathe."

Buffy immediately released her hold on her mother, grinning sheepishly. "Oh, sorry," she replied, mentally slapping herself for forgetting about her Slayer strength. Joyce shook her head in amusement and brought her focus back onto the letter,

"I'll give them a call now, okay?"

"Thanks mom! I'll be in my room, okay?" She left the room with an extra bounce in her step, excitedly anticipating her return. Flopping onto her bed, Buffy contemplated her return, but five minutes later a loud curse reached her ears.

"Mom!" she cried, hurtling from the room, "What's wrong?"

She found her mom staring at the phone with a horrified expression. Joyce turned to her and said through clenched teeth, "Buffy, you start tomorrow. GET PACKING!"


	13. Returning

****

* * * *

Chapter 13

* * * *

Slithering silently through the undergrowth, the shadow moved quickly, eyes never leaving its target. Weaving through the trees, the shadow gained speed, moving faster but still making no sound. Reaching an arm from the shade of the trees, the small, bony hand latched onto its prey and opened its mouth...

"Hey!"

Xander shrieked and threw himself to the ground, a look of pure terror flashing on his face. He raised his head slowly, reluctant to face his attacker and his eyes locked onto...

"Buffy!"

She doubled over in laughter as he tried to calm his racing heart. Once she had seen Xander leaning against the tree alone, she just couldn't resist. 

"Hey Xander," she chuckled.

"God, are you crazy? I could have...done some serious damage you know," he mumbled.

"Sure you would have," Buffy shook her head knowingly. With a smile she folded herself into Xander's hug, happy to be back among friends. "Where are the others..." She didn't get to finish because the others in question suddenly appeared out of thin air. "What the hell..."

"Buffy!" Willow squealed, wrapping her arms around the stunned Slayer. "You're back!"

"Uh, yeah," she said disentangling herself from the brunette and redhead. "And obviously I missed the popping out of thin air lessons, haven't I?" 

Cordelia rolled her eyes, "No, it's just Anya."

"Anya?" she asked confused. It was only then that Buffy noticed the slim blonde standing nervously behind the pretty seer.

"Hi," she mumbled, and gave a little wave. "I'm Anya."

Buffy shot her a friendly smile, "I'm Buffy."

"I know. So you're the Slayer, huh?"

Buffy turned on her friend with a furious glare, "You told her? Do you people know the meaning of a secret?"

Xander shrugged sheepishly, "Sorry Buff, but we forgot she didn't know..."

"You guys are hopeless!" she cried in irritation, but upon seeing Anya's abashed expression added hastily, "Oh, don't worry Anya, doesn't really make a difference, but I just don't want Giles having my head. So what are you? 

"I'm a Vengeance demon's daughter," she replied with a grin. "I inherited her ability to teleport from place to place, and I can also grant small wishes. Nothing like what my mother does- only small stuff."

"Sound's pretty useful," Buffy said with admiration, "Now who wants to help me?"

"Always willing to lend a hand, Buff," Xander crooned.

"Great, because I've got four suitcases that need unpacking," Buffy grinned as Xander's face fell.

"Open mouth, insert foot," he mumbled, following the others as they made their way to the garden's exit. 

"So what have I missed?" Buffy asked, breathing in the familiar smell of the corridors. 

"Nothing really," Willow said, "But I've copied all my notes for you, so all you need to do is read over them and you'll be pretty much caught up."

"Great," she muttered dryly.

"Have you guys noticed how weird the teachers are acting?" Cordelia asked as she opened the door to their room.

"Yeah, it's freaking me out," Xander sprawled uninvited on Cordelia's bed and received a threatening glare. He hastily removed his feet from the sheets and perched on the end. 

Buffy dropped her suitcases onto her bed and opened them. "What do you mean? Weird as in how?"

"Well they seem distracted in class," Willow replied as she helped Buffy fold her clothes in her drawer. "And have you seen how they hurry everywhere? They look all nervous and anxious like there's something following them."

"Not to mention the ridiculous amount of staff meetings," Anya added, "I mean, every morning, lunch and night they meet. What's the deal?"

Buffy listened to them talk and felt her frown deepen. She wondered what it could possibly mean. The staff dealt with demons and horror every day and if they were becoming worried then it could only mean that something terrible was coming. 

__

Caught in the middle of a war...Spike's words came back to her and she remembered the conversation they had held about Kendra and the Council. If they were becoming increasingly worried, it could only mean that things were getting worse. But how?

"Anyway, enough about the teachers," Willow interrupted, "What about you Buffy, how did things go with your mom and dad?"

"It went...good," she replied, determined not to talk about her father and keep her pain from showing in her voice. "Great actually."

"That's good," Cordelia breezed as she brushed her hair, "But that crazy Faith girl said she saw you in the city. What were you doing in LA?"

"I, uh," she stammered, thinking quickly to produce a lie, "Mom...and dad decided to move to LA after I disappeared, and when I returned they still thought it would be for the best if we moved." Well, it was nearly the truth.

"That's kinda fast, don't you think?" Anya asked. "How'd you buy a house so quick?"

"Well we were staying with my grandmother until we found a house," she answered and resumed packing, effectively eluding more questions.

The conversation moved from topic to topic and after thirty minutes, Buffy shoved her weapon bag behind the head on her bed and finished unpacking. She slid her empty suitcases under the bed and stood up, dusting her hands on her faded jeans.

"All done," she declared, "Hey, where's Oz?" she asked, finally noticing the werewolf's absence. Willow turned a bright shade of red.

"He's practicing his guitar with the band," she answered.

Buffy smiled and said, "Oh, okay. Well I'm going to check in with Giles and maybe do some training. I'll see you guys later?"

They all sent her a lazy goodbye and she left them lounging in her room. Strolling down the stairs, she had almost made it to the bottom floor when she saw a familiar figure lurking at the base of the staircase. He flinched, as though sensing her presence and disappeared into the corridor. She hastened down the last steps but by the time she flew around the corner, all sign of the platinum blonde was gone. 

She visibly deflated and continued down the corridor. A few students smiled cheerily at her as she passed, but none stop to chat. Pushing open the familiar, heavy doors, Buffy strolled uneasily into the library.

"Morning Giles," she greeted, causing the absorbed Watcher to jump in fright.

"Good Lord Buffy, don't you know never to sneak up on...Buffy?" he said, as thought just realizing her presence after her week away. "You're back I see. Have you settled in again?"

"Yep, all settled in and comfy," she replied, glancing over his shoulders at the books he had been studying intently. "I thought maybe we could do some training, then maybe go out on patrol tonight seeing that..."

"No!" he shouted, and then realizing where they were lowered his voice. "I mean, no, I can't, much too busy at the moment. Perhaps another time?"

"Yo English, have you found..." Gunn appeared from behind the bookcase and trailed off as he noticed Buffy. "Oh, Buffy, you're back..."

"Yeah, I am," she replied dryly, rolling her eyes at their pathetic attempts to avert her attention. "And Giles can't train me, so maybe you can..."

"Nah, sorry girl, but I got to...do some things at the moment," he answered nervously, "Maybe later okay?"

"Sure, maybe when I've been sucked dry by some vamps on patrol you can teach me how NOT to die," she muttered sarcastically.

"Buffy," Giles said sternly. "You most certainly will not be going on patrols at the moment..."

"Why not?" she asked angrily. "I'm the Slayer, Giles. You know, the one chosen to protect the world yada, yada, yada? While I'm sitting on my behind doing jack all, people are _dying. _So give me a good reason why not!" 

Giles and Gunn stared at her in shame, and Giles cleared his throat. "You are not ready yet..."

However, Buffy had heard enough of their excuses, and turned furiously away from them. She purposely slammed the library door shut, smiling grimly when the loud boom echoed through the building. They were so infuriating with their pitiful excuses and obviously attempts to shelter her from the truth. Well screw them. She had patrolled before by herself and she could damn well do it again. Once night had fallen and the building was asleep she would sneak out. It couldn't be too hard; the place was full of shadows and possible escape routes. Her decision made, Buffy began to calm down. 

Soon she would be but nothing but a silent, but deadly, shadow in the night, and she couldn't wait to surprise the hungry vampires stalking their prey.

* * * *

Once Willow's breathing had slowed and Cordelia's snoring became louder, Buffy silently slid from her bed and withdrew from the room. She had gone to bed fully dressed and her jeans, black top and Spike's duster made a perfect concealment in the dark. She rushed noiselessly onto the staircase and winced at the muffled sound of her sneakers cuffing the marble. With a stroke of genius, Buffy hopped onto the banister and slid the rest of the way down.

Slightly giddy, but otherwise fine, she crept down the first floor corridor until she came to the girl's bathroom. With a quick glance to either side, she pushed the door open and disappeared inside. Once inside, she counted to the fifth cubicle that she knew had a broken window. She grabbed the edge of the window and hauled herself through the tiny opening. 

Dropping to the ground in a crouch, Buffy breathed in the chilly night air. Her blood was pumping in her veins and a wave of adrenaline overwhelmed her. God, she loved this feeling. Stealing onto the lamp-lit street, she began her favorite game of becoming one with the darkness and avoiding the light at all cost. 

Ten minutes later she arrived at the closest cemetery and had already slain three vampires with surprising ease. Every night she grew stronger and more confident in her abilities. Moreover, every night the excitement and exhilaration didn't dim the smallest bit. If anything, the stimulation she felt seemed to grow with every slain vampire.

Grinning happily to herself, Buffy dropped to the ground as a large fist swung through the air where her head had been not a moment before. Sweeping her leg in an arc, the vampire's feet were swept from beneath him and he landed heavily on his back. Grunting in surprise, he blinked as she plunged the stake into his heart. Brushing the dust from her clothes, she turned and bumped straight into...

"Spike," she said startled.

"Slayer," he smirked. "English know you're out trying to kill yourself?"

"No," she replied curtly, "So don't tell him. And I'm not trying to kill myself, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"So I see," he commented, looking pointedly at the stake in her hand. "Done this before, pet?"

She blushed and looked away, "Maybe." He raised his eyebrows deliberately, but his expression turned to one of shock as he took in her attire.

"What the hell...is that my bleedin' duster?"

Buffy glanced down at the black leather in surprise. It had unconsciously become like a second skin to her and she never went patrolling without it. "Oh, uh, yeah. I forgot to give it back after you dropped me home," she explained hastily.

"And you still wear it?" he asked with more amusement than surprise. 

"Yeah, I, uh, kinda like it," she admitted, causing him to chuckle.

"Yeah, has the same effect on me," he said, and he took it when she shrugged it off and handed it to him. "You know you shouldn't be out here, love."

"I've only been told so five hundred times," she answered bitterly.

He smirked and opened his mouth to reply when he sensed something moving behind him. Spinning around quickly, he swept his gaze over the dark cemetery. He saw nothing, but the warning persisted. Slowly, he turned back to Buffy in time to see a fist strike her head. A solid object hit his own head and the last thing he saw before passing out was Buffy's unconscious body collapsing to the ground.


	14. Missing

__

Just so you know, although there will be a pairing in this story there will be absolutely no fluff. So if I don't write your preferred pairing, maybe you could just give this story another chance since it wont be terribly 'shippy, Again: no fluff! Anyway on with the story...

* * * *

Chapter 14

* * * *

Willow sat up and yawned, eagerly looking forward to her third week of school. She reached over and turned her alarm off, ignoring Cordelia's muffled groans of primitive waking times. She glanced at Buffy's bed, tilting her head curiously when she found it empty. She thought that was strange considering Buffy's routine of waking ten minutes before class began. She shrugged it off with the belief that she was probably training, or studying with Giles.

However, her curiosity turned to worry when Buffy hadn't turned up during breakfast, and worry soon turned to panic when the blonde Slayer was still missing during second period. Xander had noticed his friend's absence and the two of them were debating whether or not to alert the teachers. They didn't want to get Buffy in trouble if she was only skipping school for the day, but then again, they didn't want to leave her alone if she was in trouble. 

It wasn't until they had told Cordelia and Oz of their dilemma that they finally came to a decision. They decided to wait until school finished for the day, and if Buffy hadn't appeared by then they would take it to Angel. Confident with their solution, Willow concentrated on her studies, soon losing herself in the work. It was only when Faith, who made Willow want to cower and run past, asked about Buffy's whereabouts in the corridor did her growing fears return.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Faith asked incredulously once Willow answered.

"W-we haven't seen her since last night," Willow replied nervously. "She hasn't been to any of her classes."

Faith stared at the redhead girl. "She hasn't been here all day, and you didn't think you should let someone know? Are you INSANE?"

"I-I thought that maybe s-she was just skipping classes. I didn't want to get her in trouble..."

"In trouble?" Faith snorted. "She's the Slayer! She's probably already dead! Obviously she didn't come home from patrolling."

Willow's eye widened in surprise. "Buffy patrols?"

"You didn't know?" Faith's voice softened a bit, and she sighed. "Fine, sorry Will, ain't your fault if you didn't know." She began to hurry down the corridor and called over her shoulder, "Hurry up."

Willow rushed after her, confusion etched in her face. "Where are we going?"

"To tell Angel, you idiot."

Xander glanced up from the water fountain as Willow rushed by tailing a girl he never thought Willow would even talk to, let alone follow. Curiously, he gestured to Cordelia and Oz and the three of them pursued the hurrying pair. Once Faith and Willow reached Angel's office Xander and the other two caught up. 

"Will, what are you doing?" he asked, sending the brunette a quick glance.

"We think Buffy's in trouble," she replied, her fright evident in her tone. 

"But I thought we agreed to give her another hour," Xander said.

"Yeah, and in that hour she could be killed, or worse, tortured until she wished she was dead," Faith retorted angrily.

"Hey, not so much with the morbid details, okay?" Cordelia said, shuddering at the imagery.

"What, can't take it?" Faith sneered.

Cordelia turned on the potential Slayer angrily. "No, I just don't..."

"What?"

The four bickering students jumped at the fierce voice from behind them. They turned to find Angel standing behind them and Oz by his side.

"Sorry guys," the werewolf shrugged. "But I thought I'd better let Angel know since you didn't look like finishing any time soon."

Angel nodded tightly. "You should have come sooner. I've already sent the alert out and the staff is dismissing the students. Everyone is forbidden to leave their dorms until further notice and our residentWitches have secured the building. Nothing will get inside. You five better get upstairs now," he said, his eyes filled with seething anger that stopped any of them from saying the protests that came to mind. They hurried off, frightened by the fear they saw overwhelming the anger.

Angel watched them go and turned back to his office. Fred entered the office breathlessly a moment later, her small frame shaking from her sprint. Within a minute all staff was confined in the large office, wondering what emergency called for the complete shut down. 

Angel turned to face them and took a deep breath. "Buffy Summers is missing. She wasn't in her bed this morning and hasn't attended any classes." There was a still silence as everyone absorbed the information.

"What do you mean," Giles stepped forward and said extremely slowly, "missing? How the hell can a student disappear when nothing or no one can get within a mile of this place without us knowing?"

His question hung in the air and every person present heard the note of fear in his voice.

"Obviously the insolent brat went out by herself," Gwendolyn snapped, irritated by the Watcher's refusal to see clearly.

"I'd appreciate it if you would refrain from insulting my charge," Giles replied calmly, his tone hinting that it was a command rather than a request.

"Stop it, both of you," Wesley stepped forward, "This isn't helping anyone and it especially isn't helping Buffy." He turned to Angel and asked, "Angel, what do we know?"

The principle of the school dipped his head in recognition of Wesley's professionalism. "So far, all we know is that Miss Rosenburg woke this morning and discovered Buffy's bed empty. When Buffy didn't attend class she believed that she was only skipping class, hence the reluctance to notify staff."

"So the girl must have stole past all the cameras and magic put on this place to protect it," Gunn said, deliberating aloud. "Can anyone tell me how?"

"She's the Slayer," Giles said with a hint of pride, "Of course she would have assured her concealment."

"One question," Gunn said, his arm raised, "Why the hell would she be sneakin' out in the first place?"

"She's the Slayer, and you thought you could keep her away from slaying?"

The room turned to the doorway, where Faith was leaning casually against the wall.

"Faith," Gwendolyn spat angrily, "What do you think you are doing? You were ordered not to leave your dorms!"

"And that's all well and good," she said, "but I think Buffy's whereabouts is a bit more important than that, don't you?"

"What do you know?" Wesley stepped forward shooting a warning glane at the furious Mathematics teacher. 

"Willow and Cordelia didn't see her change before going to sleep last night. She's been patrolling since she went home," Faith shrugged at their shocked looks. "You guys wouldn't let her train or patrol with you, so she did it herself. And now look what's happened."

Guilty expressions flashed across the faces of those present.

"Why would she do such a thing?" Giles asked, the question aimed at no one in particular. 

Faith snorted, "Maybe 'cause you guys are such stuffy uptights."

"God," Gwendolyn threw up her arms in frustration, "the girl's probably gone and got herself killed!"

"Actually," Faith interrupted, "She's pretty damn good, and I'd know. Dusted five vampires all by herself in the matter of minutes."

"And how would you know this?" Gwendolyn sneered.

"Because B saved my mate's ass from becoming undead right in front of me." Faith replied, glaring at her teacher.

"When would you have had a chance to be saved?" 

Faith sighed, turning from her victoriously smirking teacher, "And turning this conversation back to B. She's in trouble, so what are you doing standing here?"

Angel stepped forward, "Exactly. We shouldn't waste anymore time. Wesley, Gunn, we need weapons. Gwendolyn, Fred, sort out the allocated areas for the search. Trisha," He turned to Miss Kirly, "See if you can get onto Tara, we may need her magic in locating Buffy. Giles, Spike, I need to know where the local nests have been hunting. Faith, you get back to you dorm." 

Faith went to protest, but Angel cut her off. "Faith, thank you for letting us know, but the best thing you can do now is to return to your dorm." Faith nodded and left.

"Wait," Fred said suddenly, turning the room's attention to herself, "Where's Spike?"

Angel glanced around the room, realizing in surprise that the platinum blonde was in fact missing. He didn't know how he could have missed his presence. 

"Where was he last night?" Angel asked.

Fred scrunched her forehead, straining to remember, "He went on his usual sweep, but I didn't see him return."

Angel growled softly, too low for anyone to hear, "Did anyone see him return?" 

No one answered. They glanced around the room hopefully, but no one spoke.

"Okay, so we should presume Spike is missing as well," Angel sighed, "Fred, what's the probability of him being taken by the same people who took Buffy?"

"Considering the number of cemeteries and vampire haunts, I'd say slim. But then we have to take in the fact that with Buffy being the Slayer she would most likely be attracted to where the vampires are. And Spike being...well, Spike, so would he. All in all, I think it could be possible."

The occupants of the room stayed silent until Angel spoke. "Well we'll keep the plan the same, only adding in the fact that we're searching for two people. We meet out the front in ten minutes, then spread out in pairs. Right people, move." 

As the staff went to depart for their orders, Lorne entered the room with a cheerful swagger.

"Afternoon, sweet cheeks. What did I miss?"

* * * *

Two hours later the sun had set over Los Angeles and Angel sent out word to the search team to arm themselves properly. Holding a large sword in one hand, Angel silently searched the cemetery. He could sense a human presence but it felt old, as though they had been here a good few hours before. 

Quickly calculating if the ties fit together, he realized that the sensation only felt twelve hours old, which was approximately when Buffy and Spike would have been patrolling. Cursing under his breath, Angel's eyes raked over the graves and mausoleums, searching for hints or clues. 

His eyes locked on a displaced object lying beside a grave. Striding over, he knelt down and grabbed the familiar leather duster. As he lifted it from the ground another small object fell to the ground. He drew in a sharp breath as he watched the wooden stake settle in the grass.

"People," he said gravely into his mobile after dialing the connection to everyone's phone, "I think I found something..."


	15. Torturous

****

* * * *

Chapter 15

* * * *

Buffy stirred, then instantly regretted it as a sharp pain sliced through her body. Her mind became alert, probing the room or wherever the hell she was for any sign of life. Sensing none, she opened her lids slightly, her eyes darting across the room.

She found herself in a small, dank dungeon-like room, with dark stones surrounding her. The ground was filthy, covered in dust and mud. She was opposite the iron door and the three corners were in a complete darkness that she could not penetrate.

The door swung open with a loud crash, startling her enough that her eyes flew open and her body jerked. Again she regretted the sudden movement, both for the severe pain and alerting the intruder of her conscious state. 

"Well," her abductor sneered, "Look who's finally awake. I'm sure that for a Slayer you take far too long to recover."

"And I'm sure I don't really care," she snapped back, lunging forward only to be hindered by the chains holding her wrists and ankles. He chuckled in amusement, flicking a hidden light switch and flooding the room with a bright light. The owner of the voice became visible, and Buffy raised her eyebrows at the short, elderly and ashen-head man. He looked so harmless that Buffy could have laughed, but then her eyes met his, and she shuddered. The grey, empty eyes had a deranged sparkle in them, and she knew that this man was past insane. 

She knew without a doubt that this was the head of the Council, the one who had arranged Kendra's death. He repulsed her, and a fire ignited in the pit of her stomach as she thought of this man taking the life of a girl just like her.

"Feisty, are we not?" he said, "You know, Slayers used to be obedient and dutiful little girls who respected their elders. They used to play by the rules."

"Your rules, don't you mean?" Buffy retorted, causing him to chuckle again.

"Precisely. This was the way it should have been, and should be." He walked slowly towards her, a sadistic smile spreading over his lips. "I was in control of everything. It was the way the Council was deemed to be. The Slayer answers to her Watcher, her Watcher answers to the Council, and the Council answers to me."

He strolled past her, rubbing his chin with her fingers. "And then one Slayer decides that she is too good to answer to me anymore, and runs off with that deceiving fool of a Watcher. Hence, the absolute need for her demise and the necessity of calling another Slayer, and therefore dividing the Council. Oh, but then what happens? Well, for some reason unknown to me, the Chosen One seems to slip past all our locating devices and your friend's. The Coven refuse to help me and my fellow colleagues, but locate this Slayer for the weak Council members and that damned vampire and his lackeys."

Damned vampire? Buffy blinked in confusion then remembered that this man was completely insane. 

"But now I have you all to myself," he cackled viciously. "And there's no way for Mr. Soul to find you. Oh, no, my dear Slayer, there's no chance for you!"

He was more deranged than she had originally thought. He pushed his face right in front of hers, his grimy fingers clutching her cheeks. He grinned with malice as she tried to pull away. 

"So sorry, my dear, " he hissed. "But you are mine now, all mine. Shall we play a little game, _Buffy?" _He spat her name.

"Ah, I'm actually a bit spent," she replied nervously. "Maybe another time?"

"Oh, no. We must play now, and tomorrow, and the next day, and then next after that. You see,_ Buffy, _you will never leave!" he laughed sadistically, letting go of her face and shuffling over to a small bench. 

"Play?" she asked weakly, tugging forcefully on the chains.

"Yes, yes, that is correct," he said, lifting up a small object, "We must play."

Buffy gasped and her heart began to race as she saw what he was holding: a scalpel. She suddenly realized what 'play' would involve, and it didn't include hiding or seeking. 

"Oh shit," she whispered as he approached her, the amused, but insane, glint in his eyes glowing. 

"That is right, young one. Playing is what I do best."

"And I repeat, oh shit." 

He was standing only inches from her now, and her struggling increased until the metal shackles began to slice into the raw skin on her wrists and ankles. This was definitely not good. 

Suddenly, the man's hand darted out and slashed her stomach. Crying out in surprise, she glanced down and saw blood begin to seep from the red cut. It burned ferociously, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out again. 

Laughing gleefully, he licked the blood from the knife. She glared at him in horror.

"Never did see what vampires loved in a Slayer's blood," he taunted. "Tastes like any other's."

With another quick jerk, he sliced the skin on her stomach again. This time she kept silent, determined not to give him the satisfaction of her pain. He frowned at her silence and his eyes flared.

Sliding his hand into his pocket he puled out a small, black box. With horror she realized that it was a lighter. He drew out a cigarette from his other pocket and lit it, inhaling deeply. Leaning forward, he blew the smoke into her face then extinguished the cigarette on her shoulder. 

Mustering all the inner strength she could find Buffy managed to stay quiet, despite the intense burning on her shoulder. He lit it again, and this time extinguished it on her thigh. She nearly bit her tongue in her attempt to keep her mouth closed. 

Ten minutes later, Buffy was covered in shallow cuts and small burns. Her body and willpower were slowly exhausting, but she had not screamed once. 

"No, no," he shook his head violently, "This isn't supposed to happen. You are meant to scream, darling. Scream for me?"

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to say please?" she replied distastefully. She had obviously hit a sore spot for the lunatic and he backhanded her across the cheek. 

"Don't ever speak about mommy," he snarled.

"Oh, I see. Mommy didn't love her little boy?" she taunted, anticipating the second blow before it came. 

"Shut up!" he screamed furiously.

"First you tell me to scream, now you're telling me to shut up. Come on, make up your mind!" 

As a tirade of blows collided with her small body she wondered if her distracting technique was any better than the scalpel. Already knowing the answer, she endured through the strikes with the thought that anything was better than the burning pain that came with the sharp metal. 

Eventually reaching boiling point, the man threw his scalpel to the ground and screeched at the top of his lungs. Incoherent words and hysterical babbling tumbled from his mouth and Buffy flattened herself against the wall. God, this man was truly insane. 

She was trying to block out his ranting when his words became coherent and she heard what he was speaking about. 

"...the world, yes it will end, yes, yes. No more world, no more, all gone...Master says so, it will happen...no Slayer to stop it, oh no, she will die, yes, she will die. Doesn't want to but she will...No more Slayers, no more, all gone...once the world goes, yes it will, it will...Master says so..."

As she tried to piece together the confused ranting, his shrieks became louder. 

"Must hide her...hide her from the vampire and his soul...mustn't find her, will take her away...I want to play, I want to hear her scream..." 

As if his words snapped him back to the present, he became calm and stared straight into her eyes. He grabbed something from the table and walked over to the wall where she was chained. He swung his fist into her face and she felt her lip split. Spitting out blood, she looked up in time to see him slash the sharp knife at her stomach as the torture commenced.

As the knife was dragged across her stomach Buffy closed her eyes, hoping that she would soon escape into unconsciousness. Whether it was her increased pain threshold or only the torturing talents of her tormentor, Buffy knew it wouldn't come soon. 

Slice after slice the knife cut into her small body, but not once did she make a sound. She forced the sobs back, choked on the screams and silenced the whimpers that threatened to escape her lips.

Finally her body and mind became numb to the burning pain and she heard the man walk away. Opening her eyes slowly, she saw him shaking his head and muttering to himself on the far side of the wall.

"Getting bored, are you?" Buffy croaked, her mouth caked with dried blood. "I guess I'm just stubborn."

"You little wretch!" he screamed, his face a mask of fury. 

"Resorting to name calling are we?" she retaliated, surprised that she could still talk despite the intense agony burning through her body. "Well, I may as well tell you that I wasn't Queen B of Sunnydale High for nothing."

The man's eyes widened with rage and she could see his chin tremble. "I tire of these games. Maybe I should just kill you..." Suddenly, his body relaxed and a small smile played across his lips. "You are a tricky little one, aren't you?" He grinned sardonically. "Trying to get me to put you out of your misery. But I will not kill you, because I wish to play some more."

Suddenly, there was a loud shriek and Buffy opened her eyes to see the short man holding his head in obvious agony. "No! I'm s-so sorry Master! P-please forgive me, your esteemed one! I will kill her now, I only wanted some fun, yes, yes, I will kill her now," he wailed.

He raised his head and glanced over his shoulder. "Boys, would you mind coming in here for a moment?"

Buffy raised her head as four burly men strode into the room. Confusion flickered across her face, then turned into horror as she felt the familiar unpleasant tingles.

"These are my boys, Miss Summers. I'm sure you've met quite a few like them."

The four men grinned and shifted into game face. Buffy stared a moment longer before glancing up and desperately tugging of the chains that held both her wrists and ankles.

"Go ahead, my boys," the man sneered. "Have yourselves a lovely Slayer."

As the men advanced on her, Buffy felt her heart sink. There was no possible way out of this. She was going to die now; most likely the shortest lived Slayer ever to be called. 

Three of them shrunk back into the shadows, leaving the largest to have first taking. He smirked and raised his fist, bringing it down with ferocity that would have killed her had she been a normal sixteen-year-old. It merely split open her lip again and bruised her cheek bone so hard that she knew it must be broken. 

"Get out!" Travers screamed.

"What? But you said..."

"You'll do as I say. She's mine. Get out!"

The rugged vampire shrugged and turned on his heel. He stormed from the room, the two other vampires and the insane man following him. The door slammed shut behind them and Buffy sighed in relief, grateful to whatever powers that be had stopped her from becoming a bloodless corpse.

A shadow moved in the corner of her eye and she groaned when she realized she had spoken, or thought, too soon. The vampire stepped into her vision, and she realized that she had in fact noticed only three vampires leave the room. This one, it seemed, was too hungry to obey the orders of an insane human. 

"Hello, little girl," he said, his eyes dancing with yellow. "My boss seems to think that he can introduce me to the Slayer without allowing me to have a taste. But after all, he is insane." 

He grinned and lunged forward, grabbing her neck with his long, thin fingers and squeezing. She stared at horror into his yellow eyes and closed her own when he ducked his head to her neck. 

She waited for the sensation of his fangs in her neck, dreading the thought of dying in a place like this one. She knew that as the Slayer she would eventually die in the cover of the night, not to be found until morning by an unsuspecting passerby. But like this, without her mother or friends knowing where she was, made her regret not being able to see them again. 

Buffy heard a dull thud and opened her eyes to see the vampire explode into dust before her. It filed her eyes and mouth, causing her to cough and sputter, and when she raised her head she found herself gazing into the yellow eyes of yet another vampire. 

* * *

__

Review please!


	16. Searches, Frustrations and Revelations

****

* * * *

Chapter 16

* * * *

"What do we have so far?" Angel asked, glancing around the gathered group. All search parties had met after Angel's alert, and the anxiety in the group was increasing by the minute.

"A stake and a jacket," Wesley replied, "Not much, but enough. All we need is for Tara to perform a spell..."

The insistent ringing of a cell phone interrupted him. Everyone scrambled to get to their phones, but it was Angel who received an answer when he spoke into his. 

"Angel speaking... Miss Kirly. Yes, we found...you haven't? Damn. Keep trying. Yes, I know, but...Okay, sure."

He pocketed his phone and turned back to face the group, a grim expression darkening his features. 

"Tara is in Africa. There's no way to contact her."

Giles gaped, a red flush creeping up his neck. "She can't be contacted?" he fumed. "Buffy is in danger, and she's the only one who has the skill to find her! What could possibly be so important?"

"The impending apocalypse in Africa, for one," Angel replied dryly, effectively silencing the Watcher. Another shrill ring pealed through the air, and Gunn walked away as he answered his phone. 

"So, we have nothing," Angel summed, cursing loudly. "We'll split up again. Keep searching, and stay to your areas. Work you way towards the center of the city and meet at Caritas in an hour."

"Angel," Gunn interrupted.

"What?" 

"Gwendolyn said there was a police report filed about a disturbance late last night. In the George Mill's cemetery."

Angel startled. "That's where I found the stake and jacket. Change of plan people; work your way towards the cemetery. We'll meet there in an hour."

The search party departed in a grim silence. 

* * * *

"I can't believe you guys!" Faith cried, throwing her arms into the air as a sign of her frustration. 

"Faith," Willow repeated, "We are absolutely not going to search for Buffy!"

"Why not?" 

"Again, because Angel and the teachers are already searching for her," Willow explained through gritted teeth as the brunette potential paced her small room. She glanced helplessly at Xander, who shrugged from the floor. He was resting against the chest of drawers separating Buffy and Cordelia's bed, playing with Faith's lighter.

"And there's something called vampires and demons that think of us as walking blood donors," he added, although he was beginning to think that Faith was actually right. The group of teachers by day, demon hunters by night couldn't search the whole city, and despite the strict orders not to leave their dorms he knew that they could help increase the chance of finding Buffy- and Spike, from what Faith had told them. 

"And B is right in the smack of it!" Faith protested, anger flaring in her eyes. She couldn't believe that Buffy's 'friends' were against her idea. She needed help and they didn't want to break rules to do so. 

Cordelia breezed into the room, unaware of the conflict raging between Faith and the redhead. 

"You should hear the rumours doing the rounds," she said. "Apparently, Buffy has been kidnapped by aliens, drained by vampires and murdered by a Falgor demon. I even heard someone say that she ran away with her secret lover because he turned out to be a vampire and she knew no one would approve. And this is coming from people who don't even know she's the Slayer!"

Xander glanced nervously at Willow, who blanched at the rumours. "Uh, Will?"

"Yeah?" 

"Do you think maybe...?"

"Yeah."

"At last!" Faith exclaimed. "If I knew all it would take was some good imagery I could have had you searching for B hours ago!"

"Uh, Faith, it's only been an hour since everyone found out about Buffy," Oz said. 

Faith snorted. "Way to get technical wolf-boy."

Anya ran into the room, puffing slightly. " Are you guys gonna go looking for Buffy?"

"How'd you know?" Xander asked curiously, already standing by the door, his question causing Anya to blush furiously.

"I, uh..." she stammered, and Willow's eyes widened in surprise.

"You were listening?" she asked incredulously. Anya ducked her head sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry," she muttered.

"I didn't know you could do that," Willow nodded, as though approving of her. 

"Yeah, well, my mom only taught me a few weeks before I came here, but it gets easier every time."

Xander glanced from one girl to the other, baffled by their conversation. "Hey, it may just be me, but _what_?"

"I'll second that," Faith said, placing her hands on her hips and raising her eyebrows. 

"I've been reading a bit about Vengeance demons, and their abilities vary. Some of them can listen to things being said a long distance away, most likely to hear potential clients." Anya grinned wryly at this comment, as though remembering a personal joke. "Seems Anya here inherited more from her mother than we knew." 

"Hey!" Anya protested at the alarmed looks that followed Willow's comment. "I was only listening because I was bored. And I didn't mean any harm."

"Anya, Anya, Anya," Xander said with a smile. "The queen of subtlety."

"I resent that remark, Harris," she retorted, but she smiled good-naturedly. "And anyway, I can wish you guys out of here, since there's no way you can get past Miss Tara's protection spells."

"Demon girl's got a point," Faith said, shrugging and looking at the others. "Anyone else got a better idea? No? Then let's go."

Willow exchanged an anxious look with Cordelia. "Uh, Faith? We don't really know how to fight, and I don't exactly want to become undead."

"Same here," Cordelia said raising her hand. "Although the wrinkles deal could be good. You know, with the not aging thing?"

The whole room turned to stare at her. 

"Or not," she added meekly.

Willow continued, "Anyway, I was going to say that maybe we should have something to protect ourselves."

"Good idea, Will," Faith said, nodding to her. "Where does Buffy keep her weapons?"

Willow pulled Buffy's bed away from the wall and retrieved her black bag. As she pushed the bed back into its position she accidentally dropped it, spilling its contents onto the floor.

"Wow," Oz murmured as Xander gave a low whistle of appreciation. 

Knives of all types and sizes were scattered across the floor, accompanied by sharp wooden stakes and a crossbow. Faith scooped the crossbow into her arms, moving it to get an idea of its weight. 

"This is definitely mine," Faith said, grinning wickedly.

* * * *

Angel hastily ducked the fist swinging towards his head and kicked out. He felt the bone snap beneath his foot and winced with sympathy toward the vampire. His opponent howled in agony and dropped to his knees, clutching his broken knee. Angel quickly decapitated him and put him out of his misery. 

His head shot up when he heard a familiar scream. He would recognize that voice anywhere, mostly because the owner was with him everyday.

He turned and hurtled through the cemetery, weaving past the graves and various trees. He scaled the gate and pounded down the street, fright now filling every part of him. He pushed his head down and forced himself to move faster. He was a blur of black to any passer by, with his black duster flying out behind him. 

If he wasn't in time...No, he wouldn't let himself think about that. He concentrated on following her scent and veered off the street into a small side street.

Fred cowered in the middle of the road, surrounded by a mob of vampires. She wrapped her arms around her tiny frame and pleaded with them to let her go.

"Please, please let me go," she cried. "Don't hurt me."

Angel slid into the shadows and watched, a slow smile playing across his lips. He loved watching them. Sometimes it was only to examine their progress and other times he watched them just for pleasure. But he never interfered unless it was absolutely necessary. 

The vampire grabbed Fred by the neck and pulled her to his chest. He morphed into game face and smirked when she screamed. He bent his head forward, intent on sinking his fangs into her neck when he dropped her in shock. He glanced down at the stake protruding from his chest and Fred offered him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," she said as he exploded into dust. The rest of the gang snapped out of their surprised state and leapt forward. 

"Wait!" Fred shouted. They hesitated, and then stopped. 

"Want to say some last words before you die?" a blonde female sneered. 

"No, I was just going to say 'behind you!'" 

Each vampire slowly turned around, their faces slowly falling. 

"Shit," one of them muttered.

"You can say that again," Gunn said, releasing an arrow from his crossbow into the gang. As soon as the arrow hit its target Wesley, Giles and the other demon hunters that joined them jumped into the fray. Fred immediately ducked out of the center of the ruckus and dusted any vampire trying to escape. Within minutes every bloodsucker was gone, leaving the weary, aching and frustrated hunters alone. 

"Nice job," Angel complimented as he stepped into the light. 

"Angel, man, we were just on our way," Gunn said, reloading his crossbow.

"Yes, we joined the other team a few blocks away," Wesley informed him, still brushing off the dust on his jeans. 

"Okay," Angel said. "We had better split up again and search around the cemetery. Fred, Connor, you're with me. You others go left, and we'll go right."

The petite brunette and experienced demon hunter followed Angel back down the way he had come. Angel had found Connor as a baby, abandoned in a vampire's nest, and he had been an important part of Angel's life since. Taking on the role of his father, Angel now doted on his 'son' and was proud of his skills at hunting. 

Twenty minutes later everyone met up at the entrance of the cemetery weary, disgruntled and anxious. Angel bit his lip in frustration. Why couldn't they find anything? He had slain, beaten and threatened countless vampires and demons and still come up with nothing. He wouldn't give up until he had found her, though. If anything happened to her he didn't know what he would do.

As he argued with Wesley about what to do next he didn't notice the group that watched them from the shadows in the trees. 

* * * *

"Where are we?" Xander whispered as they crept quietly through the trees.

"We're right in front of the cemetery," Faith answered from the front, ducking under an overhanging branch. 

"Cemetery?" Willow said nervously. "We're not going in it, are we?" 

"Scared?" Faith sniggered.

"Shut up!" Cordelia snapped, waving her arm to accompany her order. "Oz senses something!"

The group turned to Oz, who was indeed sniffing at the air. "Humans. Over there," he said, pointing to the group's left. They slunk quietly into the clump of trees as a group and peered out into the night.

"Shit," Anya muttered.

The rest remained silent as they watched Angel and Wesley argue about what to do next. Apparently they hadn't been successful in their search for Buffy. The group exchanged worried glances with each other. If these highly trained adults couldn't find her then how did they have a chance? 

Suddenly, the teachers were attacked by a horde of vampires, and they fought the urge to run or scream. Xander gasped as his seemingly powerless teachers fought back skillfully and determinedly. 

However, the biggest shock came when Angel staked a vampire and spun around angrily, growling through his fangs and glaring with yellow eyes. 

* * * *

Angel is finally revealed...da da da da! Did I mention I love reviews?


	17. Land of Denial

__

Congrats to Holy Trinity and Whitewolf for being the first to predict my cliffhanger in chapter 15! Thanks to everyone else who reviewed (especially Veggie-Babu-chan, who reviewed nearly every chapter despite already being able to read the next chapter! You're a sweetie!)

****

* * * *

Chapter 17

* * * *

Buffy stared at the vampire in horror, her hopes of living quickly fading. She had thought that maybe Angel had come to save her, or possibly Spike, wherever he was. But of course, that would make life just oh-so-much more easy, and Buffy knew that it just didn't work that way. So here she was, facing imminent death by the hands, or fangs, of a vampire that was currently shifting into a human face...

She gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. _"Spike?" _she asked incredulously.

"Hey Slayer," he said with a smirk. "Sorry if I scared you."

"B-B-but..."

"Spit it out, girl."

"Y-you're a-a..._vampire!"_ She stammered, her body turning cold at the thought of it.

Buffy could not believe it. She had trusted him, spent time with him, even had a crush on him for God's sake, and she hadn't even noticed that he was a vampire. She was supposed to be the Slayer, and yet she couldn't even sense a vampire who she had known since discovering the bizarre world of vampires and Slayers. She felt sick; to have trusted someone, and been entrusted to someone, only to find out that that certain someone was actually a _vampire, _was the worst possible deception she could think of.

Well, her father came a close second, but she didn't really want to think of him considering she was shackled to a wall with a vampire who had pretended to be her friend. She gaped, unable to form coherent words. 

"Well, yeah, pet, I am," he said, suddenly looking anxious at her fright and obvious surprise. He hurried on. "Oh, don't worry yourself, love. I have a soul. I'm all good and stuff, you know, no biting."

"B-but..." she stammered, mentally slapping herself as all the clues clicked into place. 

The coldness of his skin; the shiver down her spine when he was around; Giles' hesitance at answering her vampire-with-a-soul question; his extra strength and cunning; his ability to disappear and appear at a particular time. It all pointed to one thing...

Vampire. God, she was so stupid not to have realized. 

"How?" she asked suddenly.

He startled. "What?"

"How did you get a soul?" she repeated slowly. "No vampire has ever had a soul before."

"Well, Angel was cursed with a soul a century ago, and when..."

"Wait," Buffy interrupted in a deadly low voice. "_Angel _is a vampire?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah."

Angel was a vampire. Her principle, the principle of the whole school, was a vampire. A vampire who taught Vampire Analysis. 

She laughed bitterly. "Oh, this just keeps getting better! What about Wesley? Or maybe Giles, hmm? How's that for irony, the Slayer's Watcher is actually a vampire."

"English and Rupes?" Spike snorted. "They would've been dusted years ago if they'd been vamps. But no, they aren't. "

Buffy nodded, finally calming enough to listen. "So, how did you get a soul?"

"As I was saying, Angel ate the wrong girl, got cursed, and ended up soul-boy. I came looking for him- still evil, mind you- and found him in the company of a witch, a demon and human mates. Glinda ended up doing her mojo on me and next thing I know I got a soul. Bloody hurt, too."

Buffy was silent for a moment. "Oh," she said finally. "Why does it hurt?"

Spike lowered his head, but Buffy saw the pain flit through his eyes. "Tell 'ya another time, pet."

"Um, okay, but Spike?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I'm going to pass out..." she slumped to the wall, hanging by the chains that sliced into the skin of her wrists. The physical and mental pain had finally overwhelmed her, and she welcomed the dark oblivion of unconsciousness. The last thing she heard was Spike comforting her.

"Bugger! Don't worry, Slayer, you'll be alright..."

* * * * 

"A-Angel's a vampire," Cordelia stammered, frozen motionless by the shock.

"Cordelia," Xander muttered, staring at the retreating backs of Angel and his crew. "Queen of how to state the obvious."

"B-but Angel's a vampire!" Willow insisted, her face paling as she leaned on Oz for support. 

"I think we've established that," Xander said, his eyes riveted to the spot where Angel had disappeared. 

"Angel...is...a..._vampire," _Anya stressed each word slowly.

"My God people, yes we know! Angel, our principle, who the girls have crushes on and who the guys want to be, is a...holy crap! Angel is a _vampire_," Xander declared. 

"Welcome to the land of denial, Xander," Faith said, bending to pick up the crossbow she had dropped in her surprise. "But as enlightening as this conversation is, we've got more important things to do."

"What could be more important that discovering that Angel is a vampire?" Willow asked, shaking her head slowly.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe..._Buffy_!" Faith retorted angrily.

Willow ducked her head sheepishly. "Oh, sorry. You're right, let's go." She turned and began to walk out of the trees, emerging onto the road. She stopped suddenly and turned back slowly. "Um, where exactly are we going?"

Xander shrugged and everyone exchanged clueless gazes. 

Suddenly Oz held up his hand. "Wait. Willow, didn't Tara say you had an unusual amount of power? Isn't that why you were doing those extra lessons with her before she went away?"

Willow blushed furiously as numerous heads turned her way. "Uh, I-I ... yes."

"You're doing extra lessons, Will?" Xander asked raising his eyebrows. "Why didn't you tell us?"

She bit her lip flustered. "I don't know," she mumbled. "Didn't want to brag. But why bring it up, Oz?" She sighed in relief when the attention was turned to the werewolf. 

"Well," he began. "You were talking about a locating spell the other day, weren't you?"

Willow's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh! Of course, why didn't I think of it before?"

"Yeah," Xander said, then narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Think of what?"

"I could do a locating spell!" Willow explained excitedly. "It's what Angel would have asked Tara to do if she had been here. I don't have no where near the power she has, but it might work for a while."

"And you couldn't have thought of this _before _I dragged my new pants out into the wilderness?" Cordelia complained, groaning loudly enough to startle a pair of birds roosting in a nearby tree. 

"Sorry."

Ten minutes later Willow threw her arms into the air and sighed with frustration. "This is never going to work!" she groaned. 

"Yeah it will, baby," Oz soothed, massaging his girlfriend's shoulders. "Just concentrate. Think of Buffy."

Willow nodded and continued her deep breathing. She cleared her mind once more, focusing every thought on her blonde friend. In and out, no thoughts, no body...nothing. Soon the rustling leaves and bickering voices were gone, and everything was silent. She opened her eyes and saw two figures slumped on the ground. She drew closer to them and realized that the small one was unconscious, and the other, larger, one was holding the limp figure. 

She jumped when she heard one of them speak. "Come on, pet, wake up."

Gasping, Willow realized that she knew whom the voice belonged to. Spike. That would mean that...

Buffy. The other figure was Buffy. Willow found herself standing directly in front of the shadows, and she reached out to touch them. Her hand accidentally brushed Spike's shoulder and she screamed when she passed straight through it. Spike's head shot up in surprise and his eyes traversed across the room. 

"Who's there?" he demanded, and Willow realized that he could sense her. 

Suddenly, there was a lurch in the pit of her stomach and she felt herself being pulled away from Spike and Buffy. She passed through a thick door and was drawn down a short passage that led to a winding staircase. She became slightly dizzy as she was whizzed in circles and by the time she reached the top she was panting heavily.

She found herself in front of a seemingly normal house and committed the address to memory before closing her eyes again. She took in a sharp intake of breath and her heart jumped into her throat as she once more felt a sudden pull in the pit of her stomach. 

She landed awkwardly on a hard surface and opened her eyes to find her friends gathered around her. She was breathing heavily and found herself in a cold sweat. What the hell had just happened?

"Will!" Xander called, waving his hand in front of her face. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, fine," she breathed, her mind still spinning from the bizarre occurrence. She knew that the spell had been a success, but she couldn't get her mind around the thought that she had been in the shadow realm; a realm that bordered their own. She had been able to appear in the place that she had visualized, and then discover the location. It was...extraordinary.

She pushed her red hair away from her face and smiled. "I know where Buffy is."

* * * *

__

Did I mention I love reviews? ;) 


	18. A Doll's House

__

Wow! 100 reviews! You people rock, so keep the support and encouragement coming. And so, after many days of writer's block, I give you the eighteenth chapter...

* * * *

Chapter 18

* * * *

"Are you sure you got the right place, Will?" Xander asked skeptically, watching the quiet house from the safety of the shrubs across the road.

"Positive," she replied with a small nod. "That's the place. Although, it wasn't as colorful in my spell." She screwed her nose up as she took in the rose pink roof and white weatherboards. 

"Well, let's do it then," Faith said grimly, gripping her crossbow tightly in her fingers. "Willow, you stay here. No," she stated firmly when Willow tried to protest. "You're already tired from the spell, so you're the look out. Oz, since Anya can't get rid of all the guards we need a distraction. See those vamps over there? From what I've seen so far, they circle the house every fifteen minutes, in groups of three. I need you to get them around the back. Xander, I'm clearing your way with this baby, so it's up to you to get in there, down to the basement and get Buffy and Spike out. Ready?" 

There was frightened nods all round, but brave faces were put in place for the sake of their friend. 

"Right, now-"

"Now you will explain what the hell you think you are doing here."

They slowly turned as a group, simultaneously wincing as Angel's murderous eyes glared down at them. Behind him, Wesley, Fred and the hunters they had seen before wore similar enraged expressions. Faith remembered the crossbow she held tightly in her hands and hastily hid it behind her back, planting a sickly sweet smile on her face. It faltered though, when she saw the yellow sparks dancing in his eyes. She realized that she had never seen him so furious before, and she become incredibly frightened at the thought of his new 'identity'. She bit her lip, smart enough to see that witty quips would not cut it this time. 

"Well?" His voice was low and deadly, challenging anyone to answer him. 

"W-we were just trying to save B," she muttered, lowering her eyes to the soil beneath her feet. 

"And you thought that qualified hunters weren't enough to save her? Thought you might play hero and save her yourself, forgetting in the process that you are mere students who could be killed in seconds, never to be heard of again? Where would that leave Buffy, knowing that her friends were killed in a idiotic attempt to save her?"

His questions were met with silence, which was only broken when Connor stepped forward. 

"I'll take them back," he said.

Faith's head shot back up, her eyes pleading. "But we can help-"

"Don't, Faith," Angel snapped. "Don't. I've given you chance after chance and not once have you listened to me. Now you've not only put yourself in danger, but you've dragged your friends along with you. Just go."

Faith felt her heart sink at the disappointment in his eyes that shined through his anger. He had scolded her more times than she could remember, but not once had she actually thought that she had disappointed him. She knew that he held a soft spot for her, and had always forgiven her for her countless mistakes and fights, but now she saw no warmth in his eyes. They were cold. 

She simply nodded and went to follow Connor, feeling depleted by the numb shock of finally screwing up worse than she had ever before. But as the others went to follow her she heard Willow cry out.

"Wait!"

They stopped and turned to look at the nervous and ashamed redhead. She played with the edge of her jacket as a red blush crept up her neck. 

"Yes, Miss Rosenburg?" Wesley asked, slightly raising his eyebrows.

"Well, uh..." she trailed off, not quite certain what to say. 

"If it does not involve any life-threatening situations that will occur in the next two seconds I do not particularly want to hear it," Giles fumed, glaring at the cowering redhead over the rim of his glasses. 

"It does!" Willow cried, and Angel shot forward and gripped her arm firmly. His fingers held her still, not causing her pain but tight enough that she could not move away. She began to tremble and stuttered her next words, pointing at the white house across the streets. "B-Buffy's in there."

It seemed that it was within the confines of a second that Angel reached the door, and only a few later the other adults joined him. The door was kicked open and Faith and the others jumped back when three figures came flying through the window. From their frozen stances across the street, they could hear the sounds of a fierce battle raging on inside. Suddenly glad that Angel had found them when he had, Faith listened to the battle with a growing fascination. To be able to slay demons and vampires and save lives while doing it was something she knew she would always want to do. 

But then the sounds of the attack receded, and the students' anxieties began to mount. 

Inside the rather ugly 'doll house', Angel sent three vampires flying through the window with one sweeping fist. They were being flooded by too many fledglings, and didn't seem to be making much headway further into the house. He stepped back from the fight, scooping the area inside the house. A complete contrast to its outward appearance, the interior was gloomy and empty. There was no furniture and the walls were lined with chestnut bricks. The front window was the only real window in the house, and the only source of light was a faint, swinging, solitary lamp suspended from the roof. 

He saw that the vamps were gathering in front of the far wall and seemed to be protecting something behind them. Squinting against the darkness, he saw the outline of a door in the bricks. He straightened in triumph, certain that Buffy and Spike were behind it. He searched the throng of fighters and found Wesley decapitating a vamp, and catching his eye, nodded in the direction of the hidden opening. He gave a short nod in reply and Angel began to cut through the mob of bloodsuckers and hunters. Wesley backed him up, ensuring that Angel had enough time to find a way to open it. The fledglings realized what they were doing and flocked towards them, but Connor, Giles and Fred formed a circle around the two, blocking them from the oncoming attack. 

Angel punched the wall in frustration when he could not find a lever. Wesley shrugged helplessly and kicked the wall, jumping back in fright when the door suddenly jumped open to reveal a long winding staircase. 

"Or we could just do that," Connor grinned, watching them roll their eyes. Without waiting any longer, Angel raced down the steps, Wesley on his heels and Giles not far behind. They reached the base of the staircase and Angel fought the urge to groan as he saw the number of doors lining the dismal corridor. He immediately headed for the left, leaving Giles and Wesley to take the right. Angel kicked down door after door, growing more impatient and dubious with every empty cell. 

Suddenly, he heard Wesley yell. He bolted from the empty room, searching the dim corridor until he found them standing in front of a steel door, very much like the others. 

"What's wrong?"

"This door won't budge," Giles informed him. "We have been able to break into the others easily enough, but this door is holding tight."

Angel nodded grimly, striding towards them. With a swift kick, the door shuddered, but it did not open. Angel frowned in surprise; it certainly was thicker than the others were. He had a thought and dropped to his knees, placing his ear on the cold floor. 

"Spike."

Giles and Wesley startled, exchanging a glance above Angel's head. 

"Sorry?"

"Spike," he repeated, "is in that room. And he is talking to someone. At a wild guess I would say Buffy."

Giles sighed in deep relief, feeling the worry and dread that had been welling inside him disappear. They had found her, and she was safe. At least, he hoped so, since he had not laid eyes on her yet. Dear God, what if she is hurt, he thought, biting his lip in worry. He fidgeted in frustration as Angel attempted to open the door. He gave the door an annoyed thump and jumped in fright when there was a sudden bang in reply. 

"Bloody wankers. Just open the door and stop buggerin' us already!"

"Spike?" Angel called through the thick door. There was a stunned silence on the other side.

"Angel? Bloody hell, mate, I never thought I'd be glad to hear your voice!"

Giles pushed past Wesley and Angel and placed his palms on the door.

"Spike," he said. "Is Buffy alright?"

There was another short silence, and Giles felt his relief at finding them fly out the window. 

"She's alive, Rupes, but she ain't good."

Giles turned to Angel; his jaw set in angry determination. "Get her out now."

He nodded, immediately sweeping his eyes over the entire vicinity of the door. He tapped and prodded different areas, searching for weak sections. Wesley suddenly came forward, kneeling before the bricks beside the door. He brushed his knuckle over the bricks, and dust fell to the ground. Angel understood him instantly and nodded in agreement. 

Wesley pulled a dagger from its sheath around his calf and thrust it into the lowest brick on the wall. It slid in easily, incising a neat slit in the slab. He tried it again on the brick above it, but this time the dagger only went in a centimeter, and Wesley's hand was cut when the knife jolted. He spouted a colorful range of curses and gripped his hand, trying to apprehend the flow of blood. He swallowed loudly.

"It's only the one brick. Think you can work from that?"

"It should be enough," Angel replied, while Giles frowned in confusion. 

"Exactly what for?" he asked, but got his answer when Angel gave a sudden kick, and a cloud of dust streamed into the corridor.

"Soddin' idiot!" Spike shouted from behind the wall. "You didn't think to tell me you were going to kick the bleedin' wall down?"

"It was one brick, Spike," Angel replied dryly, bending over to inspect his handiwork. 

"Still hurt when it came flying into my shin, you wanker."

"And I should care why, exactly?" he said, and with a powerful tug a dozen more bricks came away. The gap was large enough for Spike to duck through, and he did so with Buffy's inert and bloody body cradled in his arms. Giles gave a cry of horror at her injuries and was about to take her from Spike's arms when Angel held him back. 

"Don't. Let Spike carry her out of this place, then you can take her."

Giles instantly moved beside Spike and acquired a murderous glare that wold have sent the vampires upstairs running. The two men and the two vampires flanked the broken Slayer as they ascended the stairs, hoping that they weren't too late. 


	19. Aftermath

_Sorry about the lack of updates, but real life has been really hectic. Don't worry, this story will definitely be finished! Thanks for the lovely reviews, too. _

* * * *

Chapter 19

* * * * 

It was a quiet, sorrowful group that returned to the school that morning. No one dared break the silence that covered them like a blanket, all cowered back into submission by the three troubled and agitated men that flanked the small, beaten body of the Slayer.  Her friends, tightly surrounded by the adults, trudged forward with trepidation, all of them conceiving the punishments they knew they would be given. 

Xander glanced over at Connor, who was smirking slightly as he strode beside him. By what Connor had told him only hours ago, when the others were inside the deceptively demure house, Xander gathered that he knew what Angel had in store for them when they arrived safely back at the school. The amused smile did not reassure him.

He looked at the others and saw their emotions splashed across their faces. Willow kept sneaking nervous glances at Angel, her face becoming paler with every minute gone by. Cordelia held a bored expression, but her teeth chewed down on her lip and Xander saw the slight twitch in her eye. Oz's face was as impassive as it usually was, although now his lips were formed into a grim frown instead of the smirk that seemed to take residence there. Anya was fidgeting non-stop; Xander swore he would scream if she tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder one more time. Their expressions did nothing to calm his rapidly beating heart, but when he saw Faith's stony face he was sure it would burst from his chest. 

Her brown eyes were blank, staring out from her pallid skin, and her mouth was slightly open. She seemed empty, as though the night had drained her of all the energy in her body. Her shoulders were slumped forward and her feet dragged heavily along the gravel of the road, and Xander could only come up with one word in his limited vocabulary to describe her. Despair. Faith was in complete and utter despair. He could understand... well, not really understand, but he could see why she was so upset. He knew that she doted on Angel like a father, and to see him so entirely disappointed in her would have torn the heart right out from beneath her funky, black tee. 

Despite his developing anxiety, Xander was also feeling a sense of dread well in his chest every time he looked up and saw Buffy's prone figure in Giles' arms. He could not help but stare as her arm swung passive beneath her body, nor could he pull his gaze away from the deep cuts and burns along it. 

They arrived at the school only moments before daybreak, and the students were ordered to their dorms to get ready for classes that day. Not one of them argued. They tumbled into their rooms, wearily pulled on their clothes and trudged into the hall just as the bell for breakfast rang. Their table was silent as they nibbled on their meals. Not even Xander could stomach the delicious pancakes. 

The day passed as though every second were an hour. It seemed to drag on impossibly long, and was made even worse by the fact that all the teachers were present during classes, and not one of them seemed to be affected by last night. They acted as though they hadn't spent their night hunting vampires. They were as sharp and ordinary as any other day, and it infuriated Xander that he and the others were being completely ignored. He kept on their backs, rushing after them nonce class had ended, asking after Buffy.

The only answer he ever got was "fine", and soon enough two days had come and gone. There was no news of Buffy, nor was there any news of the people who had taken her. The other students continued on with their lives, oblivious to the fact that one of their fellow students was somewhere in the school half dead. The rumors circulating the halls had changed from Buffy being kidnapped to Buffy running away to England. When Xander and the others had all but given up hope of finding out anything, Giles took to the stage one morning. 

"Uh, excuse me," he began. "It has come to my attention that there are certain rumors throughout the school regarding a Miss Buffy Summers." A thick silence blanketed the hall, and all eyes were placed upon the middle-aged Watcher. He swallowed, pushing away the frightening memories and anger surging through his blood. "None of them are true. Buffy has simple fallen quite ill and will rejoin us very soon. That will be all."

He strode from the stage and it took all of Xander's self control not to rush over and beat him over the head with his bread stick. 

"Xander, don't even try," Willow hissed. She had seen the veins in his neck bulge when Giles had left the stage.

"I can't stand it, Will," he said, slumping back into his seat. "It's driving me crazy." He picked at the food on his plate. "I just want to make sure she's okay."

"It's driving us all crazy," Cordelia said, absently twirling her straw in her glass. "Hey, has anyone seen Faith?"

No one had seen her since their returned and they were given yet another thing to worry about. Xander remembered her eyes; blank and emotionless. He knew what it was like to have the person you look up to and depend on be disappointed in you. He knew what it was like to have someone give up on you. He just hoped she was okay, because he didn't think he could deal with another friend in trouble.

****

Buffy screamed as the red flames advanced on her, the heat already licking her face. Through the fire she could see two black eyes that spoke of terror and suffering that she could not comprehend. This was evil at its worst form, and it was gaining on her. She tried to move, to run, to scream, but she could not move, and her feet would not work. Her mouth opened in a silent wail. The flames came closer, cackling with an emptiness that frightened her more than any sound she had ever heard. The fiery figure stopped just before her, and an ember of hope sprung to life in her stomach. But then the flaming cloak was flung back and she finally saw who stood before her. 

Him. His eyes met hers, and she felt her blood run cold. Please, no, she begged silently, but her pleas only made his empty eyes glimmer with malice. His cloak of flames appeared once more and he launched at her, engulfing her body in the unbearable heat. She screamed, and this time the shock of her voice pierced the spell which held her still. She fell to the ground, lying flat on her back, and saw the darkness crept into the corners of her eyes. She welcomed the dark, but only a mere second before she allowed it to claim her she found the black bird flying over her. 

She bolted upright, but instead of seeing the black bird above her, she saw a light, an incredibly harsh light that burned her eyes. She cried out and raised her arms to cover her eyes from the glare, but found that her arms would not listen to her. Suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of dizziness, she fell back onto the soft surface. Her head hit something even softer than the thing she was lying on, and she opened her eyes again. This time the light was not so bright and she glanced at her surroundings. The roof above her was white, with small cracks forming an endless run of outlets. She moved her head to the side, and saw that the walls were also white. Where was she? Struggling to sit up, her arm brushed against her hips bone and a wave of intense pain washed over her. She moaned in pain, and slowly lifted the too-large top away from her stomach. There was a huge bruise that covered the entire proximity of her left hip, and she wondered how she had acquired it. She bent over to inspect it closer but found that she couldn't. She was bound to the bed by several wires and tubes that disappeared over the end of the bed and ended in large, beeping machines. 

A hospital. She was in a hospital. How had she ended up here? The last thing she remembered was... No. She could not remember anything. She gasped at the realization and began to panic. Why was she covered in bruises and cuts? In a moment of sheer panic she grabbed at the tubes and wrenched them from her body. It hurt, but she barely comprehended the pain. She scrambled from the bed and backed into the corner, covering her ears when a shrill alarm sounded through the room. 

Suddenly the room was filled with frantic people who rushed towards the bed. A young man pulled the sheet back and she heard the occupants of the room gasp when it was discovered empty. There was a moment of silence, before a pale, blonde man skidded to a stop before the bed.

"Where the hell is she?" he asked. 

Buffy stared at the newcomer. There was something about him… Without warning she was flung into a sea of memories that hounded her relentlessly. Slaying, kidnapping, torture…it all washed over her in a matter of seconds. She gave a small whimper and immediately attracted Spike's attention.

"Buffy, luv." He rushed over to her, reaching out with both hands, but she shied away form his touch. 

"Spike?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

"Yeah, it's me."

"I-I want… how did I get here?"

"We came and got you out of there." Buffy looked up and saw Angel, Giles and Wesley standing behind Spike. She nodded and whispered a heartfelt thanks. Fred and Miss Kirly stepped forward quietly, and Buffy could see the nervous expression on their faces. 

"I think I'd like to know the whole story," Buffy said softly. "If you'll tell me."

"I think it is only right to inform you of the entire situation," Giles said, holding out his hand which she gratefully took. Leading her back to the hospital bed, he waited for her gingerly climb back in. Fred set about inspecting her injuries and once she was finished she left the room with Wesley and Miss Kirly in tow.

"Well, I do not know where to begin," Giles said helplessly. He turned to Angel for help and he stepped forward. 

"Spike told you the beginning, I believe," he said, shooting Spike a pointed look. "But from there on it gets confusing. We have been trying to discover what Travers actually plans to do to end the world, but so far we've come up empty handed. We have Doyle working undercover within his ranks, but Travers is keeping tight-lipped on any plans he has."

Buffy listened avidly, determined not to miss a thing.

"As you can see, you play a part in whatever Travers is planning. We always thought the previous Slayer would…well, we were trying to keep her away from him, and he was trying to snatch her. When you were called, well, it threw everyone into a panic. Now we not only had to find you, but we had to warn you and train you to face this thing. But it stuffed Travers up as well, you see, because he doesn't have the means to track potentials anymore. When we found you we sent Spike to get you immediately, but somehow they knew who you were and it was only luck-"

"And my quick thinking," interjected Spike.

"-that got you out of there safe."

Buffy looked thoughtful. "There's something I don't understand." 

"Yes?" Giles asked.

"Spike is a vampire- which by the way, nobody thought important enough to inform me of." She shot them a dirty look. "And not to mention Angel as well. But if he's a vampire, how did he come into my room without being invited?"

Spike snorted. "That's easy, pet. Since I'm delivery boy, or in this case, pickup-boy, I 'gotta be able to get into places quickly. Glinda- Miss Maclay, sorry- hit me with her mojo and got around that little barrier."

"Oh, okay," Buffy screwed up her nose. "Then what about the other vampire?"

Angel and Giles shared a troubled glance. "That's what we don't know. Either they've managed to come up with their own spell, or someone here has told them."

"What do you mean, someone has told them?"

"Someone here, Buffy, in ASG," Giles replied tersely.

"Why would anyone do that?"

"People are corrupted in many ways."

Buffy felt a slight discomfort in her shoulder and she pulled down the sleeve of her hospital gown. There was a small hole, no larger than the end of a pencil, but it ran deep. She was hurtled back into that small, damp room, where Travers laughed maliciously as he poked her with his cigarette. She shook away the memories but froze when she remembered another one.

"Wait," she said. "Would it help it I told you that Travers wasn't the head honcho?"

All three heads shot up to face her, and she felt their shocked gazes burning into her.

"What?" Angel asked.

"When he was…doing this to me, he threatened to kill me. But then he started grabbing his head as if he was in pain and kept saying 'Sorry Master, not yet'. I don't think he's the one pulling the shots."

"Good grief," Giles murmured. "We must get onto this immediately. Spike, grab whoever is free of classes and start researching for anything which refers to a Master, or mind control. Maybe even telepathy, as it seems to me that Travers was spoken to through his mind."

He nodded and after a quick glance at Buffy, he was gone.

"Buffy, I know that your wounds are nearly healed, but I would prefer if you stayed in bed and rested," Giles said. Before she could protest he held up his hand. "Actually, I'm ordering you to rest."

Buffy gave Angela pleading gaze but he shrugged. "You don't want to mess with Giles."

After assuring them that she would sleep for as long as she could, they left her in the room. She sunk into the pillow and closed her eyes, praying for the images of her ordeal to leave her alone. They did, and she slept peacefully. She did not dream.


	20. Sweet Seventeen

****

Chapter 20

****

Buffy ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She ran with determination and a fierce desire to kill. The muscles in her thighs pumped with every step and sweat glistening on her skin. She leapt as high as she could and used a grave as a springboard. Tackling the vampire to the ground, she flipped onto her feet and kicked its head so that it rolled onto its back. Within a second the vampire exploded into dust, leaving Buffy to brush the dirt off her jeans. 

"Did you see that move, Giles?" she said smugly over her shoulder.

"If you had been alert and prepared in the first place the vampire would not have had the element of surprise and you would have slain it minutes ago," her Watcher replied testily. "Sloppy work and unnecessary effort."

"You're just cranky because Dusty knocked you over and you squealed like a girl," Buffy retorted, to which laughter erupted from the darkness.

"Man," said Gunn. "She's my favorite."

"She has some colorful vocabulary on that mouth of hers, doesn't she?" Wesley added. 

"Reminds me of Spike," said Angel, which caused Giles to frown.

"That is never a good thing," he replied. 

"We are here to discuss Buffy's training boys, not her useless mouth."  Miss Kirly walked over to Giles, scribbling furiously into her notebook. "Her speed is rather good quality, don't you think?"

He nodded, reading over his own notes. "I found her upper body movements not so impressive. She drops her shoulder when she punches, did you notice?"

Buffy sighed. "Hello? I'm right here!"

As Miss Kirly and Giles continued to compare notes, Angel, Gunn and Wesley left to resume their patrol. Buffy had been training when she had accidentally tried to stake Angel, which luckily he had been fast enough to avoid. Apparently, the three had been taking care of a nest of some demon or other. Buffy wished she had the freedom to go out on an impromptu patrol, and just slay wherever people needed saving. But she was stuck in this boring routine of training with the two ex-Council members watching her every move. She felt…smothered. 

She rested against a headstone and waited for Giles and Miss Kirly to finish their discussion. It had been a week since she had been rescued, and the training sessions had begun the night after she woke in the hospital room. She didn't like the way they studied her, but it was better than being ignored. And her friends had stopped acting careful around her, mostly because she had shouted at them to stop treating her like a porcelain doll.

Her mother had visited the day before, and she had finally told her friends about her father's betrayal. They had been sympathetic and had listened attentively as she told them what he did and how angry it made her feel. She had been comforted by the fact that she was not the only one who suffered from a parent's actions. She discovered that Anya's mother never came and saw her, and she didn't even know who her father was. Xander revealed his father's drinking problem, and how he hated having to comfort his mother whenever she rushed into his room crying. Cordelia's father got into debt trouble a while back, and they lost everything. Willow's parents were okay as far as parents go, but even they ignored their daughter most of the time. It made Buffy feel a tiny bit better that her friends understood what she was going through.

The discovery of Faith's expulsion from the school stunned Buffy, and the group missed her brazen personality. Angel had finally reached the end of his tether with the troublesome girl and had sent her away. He wasn't completely cold-hearted though, and only sent her to live with Fred in her apartment. She was expected to find a job to pay for half the rent. 

Buffy glanced up and noticed that the two were still talking. She was about to return to her thoughts when she felt a chill tumble down her spine. She closed her eyes just as Giles had taught her to, and concentrated her mind on pinpointing the vampire. She felt her senses fly across the cemetery and saw in her mind's eye the vampire sneaking up behind her Watcher and teacher. Her eyes snapped open and she saw that she was too late. They glanced up as Buffy hurtled across the grass and cried out when she threw her stake at them.

It hit the vampire in the chest and it exploded to dust only a foot from where Miss Kirly and Giles stood.

"Dear me," Miss Kirly breathed.

"Good Lord," Giles muttered. "Uh… very, um, perceptive of you, Buffy."

"Oh, come on," she exclaimed. "That was good and you know it."

He smiled knowingly. 

****

Saturday came and Buffy watched the other students leave as she nibbled at her toast. Her mother was at an interview for a job at the gallery today and hadn't been able to take her out, as she normally did on the weekend. She was stuck within the walls of ASG. She thought she might train, and then maybe head up to the garden for some much-needed tanning. She was becoming pasty. 

Anya was staying to, as she didn't have anywhere to go. Her mother was prone to disappearing for months on end and Anya had become accustomed to staying at the school on weekends. The blonde hadn't woken up yet, so it was just Buffy and a scattering of other students in the hall for breakfast. 

A thick envelope suddenly dropped onto her plate and she glanced up. When she saw nothing there, she smiled. 

"Thanks Dennis," she said.

She tore open the envelope and a small package fell out. She stared at the card before opening it.

_Dear Buffy,_

_You thought I had forgotten, didn't you? I would never forget a day this important to you, honey. Happy Birthday. Because you're 17 I decided to splurge on our savings and buy you something I've had my eye on for a while. I'm sorry that I couldn't spend this day with you, but I'll be there to tomorrow to take you out for lunch. _

_Love you,_

_Mom.___

Buffy grinned and placed the card on the table. She picked up the small package and carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a beautiful silver chain with a small cross on the end. Her mother always knew what she would and would not wear, and she had not been wrong with the necklace. It was beautiful, and Buffy put it on straightaway. She was still looking at it when a cheerful voice interrupted her.

"Hey Buffy, what're you doing?" Anya slid into the seat across from her and reached over to snatch the card. "What's th- Oh! Happy Birthday!" She bounded over and wrapped her arms around Buffy's neck. "Why didn't you tell me, silly?"

Buffy shrugged as the girl released her. "I didn't think it was important."

"Important?" Anya repeated. "Girl, you're seventeen! That's it, we are going out tonight."

"Going out? Where?" Buffy asked.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Anya replied. "I'm going to start organizing it right now! Just get dressed up and be in here at seven."

She rushed from the hall, leaving Buffy confused and excited. Maybe a night out would be what she needed. 

As her excitement increased, time slowed. It seemed to be deliberately teasing her, and she constantly checked the time. She got leave from Angel to use the training room and slipped through the tunnel into the underground room. She used the punching bag for twenty minutes and then went onto the crossbow. Her concentration levels were terrible and she quickly removed the arrows from the wall before Giles could see them. She practiced various moves of the kata before becoming bored and returning to the bag. When she glanced at the clock again, only two hours had passed.

Frustrated, she grabbed her towel and water bottle and packed away the weapons. She climbed the stairs and locked the thick metal door. As she walked down the passage, she lifted her torch to study the designs of the walls. There were carvings in different languages, and drawings of monsters and demons. There were stories which she followed from the roof to the floor. Some were fights between good and evil, while some were just ordinary things, such as someone going riding on a horse. They were skilled hands which carved these things.

Buffy shone the light over a small image, but quickly returned to it when she felt a moment of familiarity. She reached up to touch it and gasped as a vision of the sun and a black crow filled her mind. She had seen it before, but she could not remember when. Slightly frightened, she hurried back into the library. She took a moment to lean against the shelves and calm her breathing. Her chain slipped from beneath her top and she grasped it in her hand. Today was her seventeenth birthday and nothing Slayerish was going to ruin it. 

She left the library and wearily climbed the stairs to her room. She felt her neck go cold and she stiffened. Finally recognizing the sensation, she continued up the stairs as if nothing had happened. When she reached the top of the staircase, she slid around the corner and flattened herself against the wall. 

Sure enough the sensations became stronger. When she knew the moment was right, she reached around the wall, grasped onto cloth and pulled. She pushed her follower to the ground and sat astride him, stake hovering over his heart. 

"Nice to see that Watcher is actually doing something," Spike said.

"Nah… that was just me." Buffy grinned back at him. "Nice way of getting yourself staked, you idiot."

"Hmph. I could have easily stopped you, you stupid bint."

"Resorted to name calling have we? And there was no chance you could have stopped me."

"'Wanna make a bet, luv?" Spike said, raising an eyebrow. 

"I don't bet, Spike." She smirked. "I hate taking other people's money."

The challenge had been issued, and would have been resolved if Lorne hadn't skipped around the corner, humming out loud.

"Whoa, sweet cheeks," he said when he saw them. "Let's not poke people with sharp objects now." 

She jumped off Spike, suddenly aware of their position and what it probably looked like. 

"Oh," he said. "It's just Spike. Continue if you'd like." Then he walked past and resumed his humming. 

Spike stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Don't 'ya just love the respect around this place?" he said sarcastically. He turned to face her, his smirk back in place, his eyes twinkling. "Don't you forget about that bet, now pet. I'm just waiting for pay day."

She snorted as he turned to go. He stopped suddenly and glanced over his shoulder. 

"Before I forget," he said. "Happy birthday." He tossed a tiny package over his shoulder and she snatched it from the air. "Thought it might go with that necklace you got." She glanced at the present and when she looked up again, he was gone. 

"Bloody, sneaky vampire," she muttered. "'Gonna make him wear bells one day." 

She opened her room and tossed her bottle and towel onto her bed. She shook the package but it gave no indication of what it held. Shrugging, she carefully opened it, and lifted out a pair of earrings. They were tiny crosses and matched her necklace identically. 

"Bloody, sneaky vampire."


	21. Girl Interrupted

_Thanks for the reviews. Much appreciated!_

_****_

Chapter 21 

****

By the time seven o'clock came Buffy was anxious to get out of the school. The last few hours had been spent trying to catch up on school work that Fred had given her, and it had left her with a splitting headache that she had only managed to get rid of a couple of aspirins later. She was now sitting on the bottom step in the grand entrance, waiting for Anya to join her. She glanced down at her outfit, praying that it was appropriate for wherever they were going tonight. After much deliberation she had settled on a pair of jeans, dressed up with a black top and high, black slip-ons. It was casual yet stylish, and would hopefully be suitable for her night out.  If only Anya would hurry. 

The blond girl skidded to a stop beside Buffy, her breathing labored from her quick jog down the stairs. "Sorry I'm late," she said. "You ready?"

"Yep," Buffy replied, standing up and stretching her legs. "Let's go."

There was a taxi waiting outside the school, and she saw that someone was already in the backseat.

"Who…" she began to ask, but the car door swung open and Faith hopped out. 

"Faith!"

"Hey, B," she said, stepping onto the curb. "Happy Birthday."

"Uh, thanks."

"Come on people," Anya called from the taxi. "We've got a whole night to party. Let's move it!"

Buffy exchanged a grin with Faith and hopped in the backseat. They refused to tell her where they were going, so she resigned herself to expect anything. It was only ten minutes later that they pulled up along side a large crowd of people. 

"Where are we?" she asked, but they only smiled and pulled her from the cab. Loud, throbbing music assaulted her ears and she realized that they were at the same club she had saved that girl at all those weeks ago.  

"Faith," she yelled. "This is an overage club."

"And we're overage!" she shouted back, before dragging Buffy through the protesting line up of people. They walked straight to the door, and she ducked her head in embarrassment. How did Faith think she could walk past all these people and then get in without ID? Buffy was thoroughly amazed when the bouncer at the door addressed Faith by her name, and then stepped aside to let her pass without even blinking as Anya and she followed her. There were a few angry shouts from the people lined up, but a glare from the beefed bouncer shut them up quick. 

Buffy knew she was staring with her mouth open like an idiot, but she was awed by the sight in front of her. The club was two levels, joined by a circling staircase and packed with people. They danced and bounced and moved in their own little worlds, forgetting everything but the music. Their bodies pulsated against each other, grinding together as if there was no tomorrow. Sweat appeared on their foreheads as Buffy watched, and she was drawn into the excitement. Faith dragged her to the bar and waved over the bartender.

"Faith, my girl, what will it be tonight?" he asked.

"Hey Harry. I'll have the usual, and same for Anya, but it's B's birthday today, so how about a birthday special on the house?"

Harry grinned. "Anything for my girl." He grabbed two cosmopolitans and handed them to Faith, who winked at Buffy. Harry placed three shots of something that Buffy didn't recognize, and she stared helplessly at the alcohol until Anya slapped her on the back.

"Come on, Buffy, drink up!" 

She picked up one glass, and eyed it doubtfully. Faith shoved her drink forward, and Anya copied her. Buffy glanced from girl to the other and shrugged. She had drunk before, and she at least deserved a night without remembering the terror in that small cell. She clunked her glass against theirs and downed the shot in one go. She was immediately handed another one, and after she had gulped the third shot she suddenly felt light headed. 

Faith and Anya grinned, pulling her onto the dance floor. She allowed herself to give in to the music's beckoning and felt her body respond to the sharp, quickening beat. The three girls were instantly surrounded by boys and men, and Buffy only felt a slight twitch of alarm at their situation. It was gone in an instant though, when Faith smiled. Faith wouldn't bring her into a dangerous situation, so she relaxed and continued to let the men think they would be going home with her tonight. The minutes they danced turned into hours, and when Anya finally motioned to the bar they left the dance floor to replenish their fluids. Faith ordered a beer, but Buffy and Anya stuck to soft drink. Not as accustomed to the effects of alcohol as the brunette was, they decided to forego it this time around.  

Buffy slipped onto a spare seat and shot up with a gasp. Her Slayer sense was going wild, and it was the most intense sensation vampires had given her yet. She swallowed in dread when she thought how many were in the club. Suddenly the music stopped. There were shouts of protest from the crowd, which were hushed when the lights went out. A scream rose from the room and Buffy was instantly on her guard. She heard the scream stifled, and when her eyes became accustomed to the darkness, she ran towards the sounds of struggling. It was a feast. Vampires were everywhere, drinking from both women and men, and Buffy didn't know where to start. 

Struggling to remember everything she had been taught Buffy pulled a stake from where it was strapped to her thigh. She allowed the tingles down her neck to guide her to the feasting vamps, and after staking the first one and handing the bleeding girl to her friend, hurried on to the next. Before she knew it, eleven were dust and more were arriving. Yelling to Faith to get the people out of there, she kicked a young male vampire in the jaw, and after following it with a punch, thrust the stake into his chest. Soon the others had lost interest in their meals and circled the Slayer, who groaned. 

Anya saw Buffy's predicament and tugged on Faith's arm.

"You need to wish me out of here," she said.

Faith spun around and wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "What?"

"We need Angel and the teachers to help us, but I can't apparate that far. You need to wish me there, so I can warn them!"

Faith nodded and wished that Anya was back at ASG. She blinked once when the girl disappeared, but returned to helping everyone out of the bar. Pushing a young couple through the door, she turned around the come face to face with a vampire. He sneered at her, and she raised her eyebrows before clouting him and knocking him out cold. She only gave Buffy a quick look before returning to the terrified patrons. They were too scared to move, and it took all the soothing words she had to make them get out. She searched the room for any other people, but her eyes caught on Buffy. She was amazing. Her limbs were flying in a flurry of movements, and Faith could not keep up with her. The vamps were exploding to dust everywhere, and she never once stopped. 

A cold hand slipped around her neck and she clutched it, trying to pull it away. It didn't budge, though, and her head was pulled back. She glanced up to see two long fangs smiling down at her and before she could yell they slipped into her neck. It hurt, _a lot, and she froze. Being drained of blood was a strange sensation, and Faith found it sickening. It was a demeaning experience, and she hated feeling weak and helpless. With a burst of anger, she stomped her heel onto his foot, and he let her go with a howl. She kneed him in the groin and he dropped to the floor. She grabbed a stool from the bar, and snapped off a leg. It was harder than it seemed and she had to struggle a bit before finally breaking it off. The guy was struggling to his feet when she turned around. Grinning at him, she leapt forward and pushed it into his chest. It barely went it a few centimeters, but it pierced the heart nevertheless and he groaned before exploding into dust._

She gave a loud whoop and jumped in the air excitedly, and then remembered where she was. Instantly sobering, she turned to watch Buffy again. Buffy's training was obviously helping her, because Faith had never seen anything like this from the potentials in their self defense class. But as she watched three of her opponents snuck up behind her while she was busy with another one, and she shouted to warn Buffy. The Slayer executed a spinning kick, which sent one of them flying towards her. Before she could move the vampire knocked her off her feet, and the two of them were propelled over the bar counter and into the glass case of spirits. She glanced up to see the case come crashing down, and quickly rolled away. The vampire was not so lucky, and was crushed beneath the shelves. Struggling to her feet, she saw that Buffy was in trouble. There were too many and she was slowing down. A chair come soaring at her, and she ducked behind the bar to wait for Anya to return with the teachers. She wished the girl would hurry up, and leapt back in surprise when Anya appeared in front of her. The blonde girl looked around in confusion, and then saw Faith clutching her chest.

"You wished me back, didn't you?" she asked. Faith nodded. "Thought so. Thanks for saving me the trip back. Angel and the others are on their way."

Faith cringed at the mention of Angel's name. She had not seen him since he had kicked her out, and the thought of doing so turned her stomach. She had done plenty of terrible things in her life, and she couldn't have cared less about the people it affected. Angel was the first person she had disappointed, and it made her want to take it all back. She had never had the desire to go back into the past and change things, mainly because she knew how pointless it was. She always lived in the present, and didn't care what had already happened, or what was going to happy. There was just no point. But Angel had given her a place in life, trusted her and made her feel wanted; the realization that she had disappointed him tore her to pieces. Her first night in Fred's apartment she had spent lying on the couch, promising herself that if she ever got another chance she wouldn't ruin things again. But it didn't look like happening.

She snapped from her musings when the doors burst open, and sighed in relief when the teachers poured into the bar. Buffy could breathe a little easier when she saw the help arrive, and took a moment to rest before jumping back into the fray. As she fought one particularly large biker vamp, she saw Faith scamper over the counter and make her way towards the fight. Before she could tell her to go back, Angel grabbed the brunette's arm.

"Faith, get back behind the bar," he ordered.

"But I can fight…"               

Angel held her gaze and Faith could see that he was worried. "Please, Faith, go back."

She nodded, and moved back to where Anya was huddled. This was her second chance, and there was nothing that would make her muck up again. When she peered over the counter with Anya, she sought out her friend, and when she did not find her among the ruckus, become anxious.

"Anya, can you see B?" she asked, and the blond shook her head.

"I can't see her anywhere."

The back door slammed open, and the two girls jumped in fright. Spike stood behind them, fury making his eyes flash.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"We can't see her," Faith replied. "She was there only a moment ago-"

But he didn't wait to hear her answer, vaulting over the bar and hurtling across the room. 

Spike was not sure which he was feeling more: anger or worry. She was a good fighter, great even, but she wasn't ready for full time battle against this number. He searched the mass of bodies, looking for a hint of her golden hair. He thought he saw her, but when he came closer he felt no heart beat or warmth in her body, and when she turned around he saw that it was just another blonde vampire. Pushing his way through to the other side, staking vamps as he went, he grabbed Angel's shoulder.

"Where is she?" he shouted over the din.

"She was here only a moment ago," he replied. "I saw her fight some biker vamp, but I haven't seen her since."

Spike growled and slammed his fist into the face of a pale young man, and staked him when he vamped out. He heard a familiar voice, taunting and teasing.

"Is that all you've got? My _grandma could hit harder than you!"_

In the cloak room beneath the stairs, Buffy was trading blows with the same biker guy. Whatever she threw at him he just threw back and neither of them could get the upper hand. 

"I just realized something," he snarled, and Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"You're this Slayer they've been talking 'bout," he said.

"We have a quick one!" she declared, but as she spoke her guard was lowered and he lunged at her. He caught her around the neck and thrust her against the wall. She struggled in his grip, but it was like iron, and she could not escape.

"If you're the Slayer," he continued. "That means you have the urn they're looking for. Tell me where it is."

"What urn?" she gasped. "I don't…know what you're talking about."

"They say only the Slayer knows," he insisted.

"I have no idea what you're on about!" Buffy struggled in his grip.

He shrugged. "Must have heard it wrong then. I guess it won't matter if I kill you then."

He cocked his head and reached forward, but then glanced at her in surprise. She watched as he exploded into dust, and once again, Spike stood in front of her, smirking.

"You feeling a sense of déjà vu here?" she grumbled, rubbing her sore throat.

"The little lady seems to always need my help," he replied with a smirk.

As she joked with him, her mind was turning with questions. What had the vampire been talking about? She didn't know anything about_ any urn, whatever that was, except someone thought she did. And who was 'they'? They were all questions she needed answers to, but for some reason she felt reluctant to tell Giles and the others. Why she felt the way she did, she wasn't sure._


	22. Unwinding

_Sorry for the lack of updates, but the last chapter I posted was the last chapter I'd written, and I hate doing that. This story will be going on temporary hiatus while I work on it, but it will DEFINITELY be finished. It should only be a few weeks until I post again, but I'm going to try and finish writing it. Sorry!_

****

Chapter 22

****

Buffy turned and tossed restlessly on her bed, listening to the soft snoring coming from the other side of the room. Cordelia had returned shortly after the fiasco at the bar, and has listened in delight as the three girls had described their night. She squealed when Anya told her about the good looking men they had danced with and made Faith promise to take her with them next time. Although she claimed her shopping spree had been a lot more fun, and Buffy couldn't help but agree. Despite kicking ass and loving it, fighting that number of vampires has terrified her. Every time she faced another one she saw her friends' faces and wished that she had told them how much she appreciated them. Every swing, punch or kick could have distracted her and every weapon could have been the one to end her life. It was an exhilarating and frightening thought. 

As she rolled over to face the wall, her thoughts returned to the conversation she had held with Giles after the club debacle. 

"Ah, Buffy," he began as she wiped her stake clean.

"Mmm?"

"That was…" he trailed off, unsure of which word to use.

"Invigorating?" 

"Ah, no actually, the word I was looking for was surprising."

Buffy paused in her wiping and glanced up. "Huh?"

Giles moved to sit beside her and rested his elbows on his knees. "I've been trying to hold you back from using your full potential, but I can see now that I was wrong. You understand the basics of slaying, and from what I saw are a competent fighter."

"Competent?" she replied with a grin.

"Okay, a bloody good fighter. And I can see that you're more than capable of looking after yourself, so when all this business with the Council smooths over I'm allowing you to patrol by yourself."

Buffy smiled, a rush of pride filling her as she realized this was Giles' way of apologising and promising her more freedom in the future. Since the beginning she had waited for the day when Giles and the others would see her as a true Slayer, and not just a green, unexperienced Slayer. Finally she had done something worth while, and she felt herself blush slightly under the half-amazed, half- pleased looks on her teachers' faces. Giles had been distant and stern throughout her training, and she caught a glimpse of a glimmer in his eyes that gave her hope of cracking his hard exterior. She wanted the relationship with her Watcher that Kendra had had with hers and she hoped this conversation was an indication of the trust that could exist between the two of them. 

Pulled from the memory by Cordy's bed squeaking as she shifted, Buffy rolled onto her back and tried to sleep. It was evading her however, mostly because she was still on a high from the night's slaying. Although it had been frightening, she had never felt so powerful. With every swing she took the blood in her veins pumped energy throughout her body, and the intensity of the danger and exhilaration was a potent stimulant. She had felt herself becoming surer of herself with every vampire she had staked, and once she had relaxed into the fight she found her movements becoming more natural and less forced. There had been no time for thinking; she had relied purely on instinct and her body's natural movement. She could see her opponent pull his shoulder back a split second before he did, and it gave her enough time to avoid it and counteract it with her own strike. Her senses- or 'Spider-sense' as she liked to call it- warned her of danger that she could not see, and the feeling of protection it gave her allowed the Slayer part of her to take over. Not take control though, because the very thought of being under the control of such a force terrified her. She was always there to quickly return to the surface when the threat was taken care of. 

How was she ever going to get to sleep? She still had a lot of pent up energy throbbing through her body, and she could hear and sense every tiny sound and movement on her floor. She knew sleep would not be an option tonight, and as she dressed in her work-out clothes she reminded herself to ask Giles how to switch off after slaying. As she had done the night she snuck out, Buffy stole from her room and down the hall, careful to remain in the shadows. Moving through the building silently, a mere blur of movement, swish of blonde hair, she made her way towards the library, and was surprised to find the shelf in front of the tunnel already open. She walked through it, closing it softly behind her, and proceeded down the darkened corridor. When she descended the steps she caught a soft grunt and recognised it.

"Slayer," Spike said, nodding towards where she stood in the shadows.

"Spike," she replied, stepping into the light. She saw that he had been pummelling the punching bag, and it hung by a thread from the roof. She raised her eyebrows, and he shrugged.

"Had to get it out some way," he said, as though it offered an explanation.

"I can see. Got a few frustrations?"

Spike smirked, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead. "'Could say that. What about you? I'da thought after the fighting tonight you'd be sleeping for a week."

"Guess again. I'm so worked up I could do it all over again."

He grinned. "Gets 'ya hot and bothered does it?" 

Buffy's felt a shiver spiral down her back at his words. "What?"

"Slaying."

"Oh! Um, no!"

He shot her a knowing look and she ducked her head, suddenly interested by her trainers. 

"You up for a bit of a work out?" he asked, and she glanced up.

"Yeah, was thinking something along those lines."

"How 'bout we spar?"

"With you?" she replied, incredulous. 

"No, with the other vampire standing in this room," he answered, and she rolled her eyes at the sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Fine. If you insist on getting your ass kicked…"

"Don't hold back, ducks."

"I won't if you don't."

They jumped right into, testing each other out by taking weak shots at their midsections. After a few minutes things began to warm up, and there movements became faster and smoother. Blow after blow they sparred against each other, pushing themselves to the limit. Sweat dripped into their eyes and fresh bruises appeared on their skin as they danced around the room, trading blows that were so in tune with each other that it seemed the whole thing was choreographed. His muscular, pale body was a stark contrast against her tanned and petite, if not toned, torso. Each seemed to predict their opponents move a split second before it happened and aside from a few surprise shots, they were equally matched. 

For the first time in over a century, Spike had been truly afraid. When Angel had contacted him and repeated what Anya had told him his first thought had been of Buffy. Alone, except for a hot-headed potential and a room full of terrified people, she had been in danger. How she had managed to slay so many so quickly was beyond him, and his anxiety hadn't been abated until he had found her in the grasp of that vampire. After his initial glance at the room, he had been worried by her absence. The fact that he hadn't been able to sense her had added to his fear, although he would never let it show. A two-hundred and something-year-old vampire terrified for the safety of a girl he barely knew? It sounded ridiculous, even to his own ears. But he could not forget the fear she produced in him, neither the anger that he felt seeing her hurt or in trouble. Somehow, this girl, the _Slayer _for God's sake, had managed to twist her way into his unbeating heart. 

And it was this realization that distracted him long enough for Buffy to sweep his feet out from beneath him. 

"Ha!" she cried as she pinned him to the ground. He blinked, cursing himself for allowing a stupid fancy to distract him, and then noticed the position that they were in. Like the last time, she noticed it at the same time he did.

As she straddled him, Spike could barely contain the wayward thoughts racing through his mind. She was beautiful, and he could not pull away his gaze. All he wanted was to kiss her, feel the softness of her lips on his, hear the soft thud of her racing heart and feel her body in his arms. She stared back at him, eyes full of anticipation and an innocence which he had never seen in a Slayer. She was beautiful, she was powerful, and she was leaning forward to meet his lips…

He grabbed the back of her head and pulled it down ferociously, smashing their lips together. She clutched his shoulders with her hands and parted her lips, allowing him access to the warm recesses of her mouth. His hands slid up and down her back, trying to feel every inch of her body. It had been so long since he had felt the touch of a woman's body, and even longer since a woman had also wanted him. He ravished her mouth with his tongue, and almost moaned at the sensations she was causing in his body. 

Buffy could not believe that she was kissing Spike. She was kissing a vampire, a demon she was born to slay, and she loved it. There was no time for gentle kisses and loving embraces; this was about passion, pure and simple. There was a connection between them that was undeniable, and ever since he had rescued her from her first encounter with a vampire neither of them could ignore it. It was too strong; pulling them together with a heat and want so intense it burned them. They had danced around each other for so long and it was always going to result in such a fervent climax. 

But just as her arms slipped around his neck, pulling him closer, Spike opened his eyes and gasped. 

_You will kill her._

He shoved Buffy away from him and leapt to his feet. 

_There is nothing you can do. If you love her, you will kill her._

The words echoed through his mind, and as he stared at Buffy with his regretful, pained eyes, he remembered. This could not happen.

"'M sorry. This can't happen…it's too dangerous." He turned and fled from the training room and left Buffy, still breathing heavily from their impromptu pashing display, to watch as the vampire she had grown to love disappeared.

****

_Please review!_


	23. A Touch of Faith

****

Chapter 23

****

Buffy struggled to pay attention in class, but her thoughts kept returning to the night before. What had happened? She had almost kissed Spike, for God's sake. She hadn't realized her feelings for him until that moment, when she had hovered above him, the coolness of his skin sending shivers down her spine. He had been the one to initiate the sparring match, and he had been the one to kiss her. So why had he leapt away like she was on fire? He had said something about it being too dangerous, and she couldn't understand why he believed that. He was scared of something- that much she knew- and the thought that something could terrify him made her feel uneasy. 

After class she joined her friends on the roof, enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin. Willow helped her with her homework and she actually got some work done. She knew she had been slacking in most of her classes, but she _did _have a valid excuse. Her training took up most nights, and the few hours between classes and dinner were spent relaxing. She liked to do her homework before class, scribbling short answers in a hurry while she gulped down breakfast. Willow had actually been a great help, both to her and Xander. As the redhead gave an exasperated sigh, correcting yet another wrong answer, Buffy exchanged a sheepish grin with Xander. 

She glanced up as Faith approached and remembered her promise to allow the girl to train with her. Faith waved, jogging over, and Buffy was amazed at the change the brunette had gone through. A simple smile had brightened her entire face, and she no longer carried such a dark expression. She had finally been allowed back into school, after much pleading on Fred's and Buffy's part. Angel had admitted to missing his young protégé, and had given her another chance. Faith was adamant not to mess up again, which is why Buffy was keeping good on her promise. If she could make Faith feel better about herself, then maybe the brunette would have a better chance at a proper future. 

"Hey B," Faith said.

"Hey yourself," Buffy replied with a grin. "Ready for some action?"

Faith nodded. "Yup. Just gotta get changed and then I'll meet you in the library."

Buffy nodded and watched the girl depart.

"Man, she's so…" Xander struggled to find a suitable word.

"Strange?" Cordelia supplied. "Weird? Passé?"

"Happy," he finished. "Happy."

"It's odd," Oz said, cocking his head to the side. "Yet strangely refreshing."

Buffy smiled at her friends. "I'll leave you to it then. See you in the hall?"

"Yeah. See ya, Buff!"

She made her way down to her floor, and then strolled into her room. Slipping on her workout pants and a tight red tank top, she quickly tied her hair up. It had taken her a good hour to convince Giles to let Faith train with her, but it wasn't until the brunette had given her word that she would not use her training for anything except emergencies that he had agreed. Even then he had to pass it through Angel, who actually believed it was a good way to keep her out of trouble. 

As she made her way towards the library, she wondered if Faith would be able to keep up. She needed to learn the basics, which was just an extended version of the combinations and techniques used in her Slayer studies. That should take up the entire first training session, and she grinning in anticipation of the pain Faith would be in for the next few days. She was going to work Faith's butt off, and the brunette was going to ache in muscles she never knew she had. 

Faith was hovering outside the library door when she approached, and was almost bouncing in sheer excitement. She had wanted to learn from Buffy ever since she found out the blonde was the Slayer, because she knew no one could do the things the Slayer could. She would learn from the best, and maybe when she finally graduated Angel would allow her to join his team. She would help him to repay his kindness and faith in her. 

When she saw Buffy coming down the hall, she instantly calmed her body and took up a casual pose. Even if she wasn't the bad girl of the school anymore she still had a reputation to uphold. It would not do for the other students to see her hopping around the place like an over excited kid.

"You ready, B?"

"Dressed to kill," she replied, and Faith saw that she indeed was dressed to kill. Any male within seeing distance would certainly have a heart attack over her tiny top and bared, tanned stomach.

They pushed the door open, and saw that Wesley was already waiting for them. One of the expectations Angel had made was that Wesley or Giles train them, and since Giles was busy with God know's what, Wesley had volunteered. Buffy didn't mind; Wesley was a really great guy. He never kept secrets from her like the others did. If she was doing something wrong in training or on patrol he told her in a gentle way and then helped her correct it. He gave her straight answers to her questions when the others tried to hide the truth beneath long words or their almost perfected avoidance methods. And she could speak to him like a friend. He never expected anything from her, and he never put pressure on her. She found herself telling him things that she had only told her closest friends, like what had happened with her father. He had listened attentively as she poured her heart out, and had only spoken once she was finished. He told her about his own father, who expected him to act like an adult when he was five. He had been thrown into the world of Watcher's, Slayers and vampires not long after that, and had been handed the path he was to take in life. Buffy found herself sympathizing with him, and was glad that someone older than her understood her. He treated her like a capable woman, not a fragile child who needed protecting. Buffy could tell that Giles was slowly learning from this other Watcher, and she was grateful for Wesley's company.

She did not expect, however, for Angel to be with him. The vampire and principal of ASG smiled back at them, breaking off his conversation with Wesley.

"Afternoon, ladies," he said. "I have nothing better to do, so I've decided to watch you both train."

Buffy and Faith exchanged a glance and shrugged.

Suddenly, the door behind them was shoved open, and a panting, thin man stormed in.

"Doyle!" Angel breathed, rushing forward to support his friend. Wesley helped guide Doyle to a chair, and the two girls watched in stunned silence.

"What happened?" Wesley asked. 

"They…They found out," Doyle said, an Irish accent audible beneath his panting and wheezing.

"How?" Angel said sharply.

"I…I don' know," he answered. "It was lucky I 'eard one of them talking 'bout offing me, or else I'd be dead by now. I was about to head out on a surveillance mission, when I 'eard them. I got out of there quick smart, and no doubt they know I'm gone now."

"How did they find out?"

"I think I know, Angel." Doyle straightened, pushing the bangs away from his eyes. "There's nobody but ASG know who I am. I'm thinking there's a spy here.  And an awful good one, at that."

"But no one could possibly infiltrate our school," Wesley protested, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"It's damn hard, but it ain't impossible," Doyle said.

"No one finds out about this," Angel said suddenly. "Doyle, we'll announce your return at the next staff meeting, but no details about this spy business are going to be exposed. Okay?"

It was then that Doyle spotted the two girls standing by the door. "Who the hell are they?"

Angel and Wesley turned and saw them, squinting as though only just remembering they were in the room. Buffy and Faith smiled weakly and tried to shuffle towards the door.

"This is Faith, a student here, and Buffy."

Doyle frowned. "Buffy? As in Buffy the Slayer?"

"One and only," Buffy quipped. 

A big, genuine smile appeared on his lips, and he stuck out a hand for them to shake. "Good to meet yer' both," he said. "And I'm Doyle, by the way."

"You girls don't need me to repeat my warning, do you?" Angel asked, raising one eyebrow.

They assured him that he had nothing to worry about, and then tried to make for the door. Wesley intercepted them with a reminder about their training.

"Haven't forgotten, I hope?" he asked with a slight smile. Buffy knew he was intentionally making them stay, and that he saw right through them. They had been about to race up to the garden again and retell the juicy new development to their friends. He was a great person, but sometimes he was too perceptive for his own good.

Doyle left to get himself cleaned up, and Wesley and Angel led the girls down the passage. Buffy felt an odd tingling down her spine as the walked on, but dismissed it as mild claustrophobia. There could not possibly be anything down here. The feeling only left when they entered the training room, and she shook the remnants of the feeling away. Faith gave a low whistle as she saw the room used to train, and sauntered over to the weapon's wall. She fingered a long sword in awe, and shot Buffy a wicked look. Buffy grinned back, remembering her own awe at first seeing the room. Now, though, it was like her second home. She spent many, almost _too _many hours in here, training away her frustrations and energy. 

Walking on to the sparring mat reminded her of the last time she had been in there. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she was straddling him, leaning forward to touch his sweet…No. She shoved the thoughts of Spike to the back of her mind and focused on the brunette instead. They did a quick sparring session to warm up, and Faith was again awed by Buffy's strength. She was also a bit daunted by it. Buffy was definitely holding back, and Faith was still having trouble getting a blow to land on the blonde. 

She was breathing heavily by this stage, and sat out to watch Wesley attack Buffy while she wore a blindfold. It was amazing to watch. Buffy instinctively knew where Wesley was going to be, and twirled and leapt out of the way. When she had finally swept the Watcher's feet from beneath him, she removed the blindfold and helped him up. 

"That was…awesome!" Faith said, grinning widely. 

"Yes," Wesley agreed. "It was. Up for some fencing, Faith?"

Her eyes flared in enthusiasm, and she didn't even answer before racing toward the weapons. Buffy laughed and turned to find Angel watching the brunette with amusement. 

"At least she's happy," he said.

Buffy chuckled. "Better to have her swinging her fists here than on the other students."

"My thought's exactly," he said. "Care for some tai chi?"

She loved tai chi, especially when Angel joined her. He was a master at the art, his body so graceful and his movements so smooth that he reminded her of a dancer. It seemed to calm her, and give her some much needed time away from the world. The beautiful movements allowed her to clear her thoughts and focus entirely on her body and mind. All the tension and stress seeped from her body, and he felt relaxed and tranquil. Her mind told her to move her let arm, and it moved. There were no other thoughts, no other movements other than the ones he mind told her to do. 

She and Angel had been going for thirty minutes at least, when she finally became aware that Faith and Wesley were watching the both of them. She blushed with embarrassment and grabbed a towel from the bench, wiping away the sweat on her forehead. 

"I never knew you did tai chi, Buffy," Wesley murmured. 

"Yeah, neither did I until Angel here showed me."

"You mean you only recently learnt it?"

She nodded. 

"Well, you move better than some people I know, and they've been practising the art for forty years!"

She ducked her head as a fresh wave of heat crawled up her neck. 

"Anyway," Wesley continued. "Better grab a shower."

Buffy and Faith thanked them both and escaped up the stairs. It was an unsaid agreement that they were going to tell their friends about Doyle and the spy before having a shower, and they both headed towards the garden. Without realizing it, they both pondered the same question: who was the spy?

****

_Sorry about the wait, but hopefully updates should be coming more often. Please review and tell me what you think._


	24. Spies and Suspicions

****

Chapter 24

****

It took a total of ten minutes to extract the story from Buffy and Faith. With their excited babbling and fast-paced talking, they were rather difficult to understand. Their five friends, still lounging in the garden when they found them, were utterly confused at Buffy's quick fire recollection of the events in the library. Faith was no better, throwing in comments and exaggerated additions. 

"Whoa, whoa!" Xander said, holding up his hands. "I have no idea what you two just said."

Buffy and Faith started up again, and it took a low wolf whistle from Oz to shut them up.

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Cordelia snapped, obviously becoming tired with the tirade of breathless talk. 

Calming herself and taking a deep breath, Buffy told them what she had heard from Doyle in the library. There was a moment of silence, and then another rush of chatter as everyone began talking at once. 

"Hey! Guys!" Willow raised her voice, demanding the attention of the group. She blushed slightly when she realized that they were all staring at her. "We need to figure out who it is." 

"Oh really?" Cordelia asked, her sarcastic tone causing Willow to wince. "There's the idea of the century."

"Shut up, Cordy," Faith said, ignoring the brunette's scowl and turning back to the redhead. "Got any ideas?"

"Well, I haven't exactly been looking, but I can make a few wild guesses."

"Such as…?" Anya pressed. 

"One, Lorne. I know, his one of my favourite teachers too, but he _is _a demon and that constantly bubbly personality can't possibly be genuine. Two, Gwendolyn Post. Just because I can't stand her and she seems to hate everyone. And three, Spike. He's too sneaky for his own good, he has access to everything in this building, and he's a vampire."

Buffy managed to keep her shock checked, despite the sudden rage that had erupted within her. She fiercely wanted to defend him, but thinking back over the last weeks, she could see where Willow was coming from. He seemed to appear out of nowhere, and could vanish just as easily. The vampire was trusted by all the staff- even if they didn't particularly like him- and would be in the prime position to spy. Buffy didn't think the vampire factor had much damage against him. Angel was also a vampire, but he was one of the best men she had known during her short life. But Spike's words sudden came back to her. 

_This can't happen…It's too dangerous._

She nearly gasped when a thought hit her. What if he was the spy and he was only playing her to get information? She didn't even want to consider the thought that he wanted to get close to her so she would not suspect him. He could have killed her so many times, but he didn't. She did not understand why. Unless he wasn't the spy… Her head was beginning to hurt from all the musing.

"I'm betting on Post," Xander said. "She's downright evil."

"We can watch all of them," Willow said. "Just check them out during classes and stuff."

"Me and B will take Spike, okay?" Faith said, and Buffy held back the refusal dancing on the tip of her tongue. 

"Me and Cordy can watch the lovely Miss Post," Xander offered, wincing as though sacrificing something rather big.

"That leaves me, Anya and Oz to watch Lorne." Willow nodded. "We'll give it to the end of the week. See who's acting more mysterious."

The others were excited about the prospect of discovering the mole, but Buffy just wanted to sleep. For some reasons her eight hours of sleep each night left her feeling restless and sluggish, the same feeling she got after studying for prolonged periods of time. She rarely woke during the night, but she couldn't understand why the sleep she got did not satisfy her. Maybe she was dreaming, and they were forcing her to use her brain while she was asleep.

She arrived at her room and took a quick shower, glad to scrub around the sticky layer of sweat on her skin. After wrapping her hair in a towel and hopping into the oversized shirt she slept in, Buffy fell into bed without bothering to slip beneath the covers. It was only nine, but she had to get up early for a meeting with Giles before breakfast. She fell asleep before long, and again she dreamed. When she woke the next morning, she had no memory of the dream. 

   
Shuffling into the library, she found it empty.

"Giles?" she called.

There was an exclamation of surprise, a scuffle and a loud thump. She peered around the shelves to find Giles sitting on the floor, books messily spread around him and a ladder perching against the shelf. She tried to hide the smile, but the picture was too hilarious. Her lips split into a wide grin, and he scowled darkly at her. After gaining control of her chuckles, Buffy stuck out a hand and helped her Watcher to his feet. 

"You alright, Giles?" she asked, still grinning.

"Just fine," he replied stiffly, adjusting his suit and pushing his glasses further along his nose. She knelt to retrieve the books sprawled across the floor and handed them to him. He led her back to the tables at the front of the library. 

"So what's the what?"

"Excuse me?" he asked blankly, confused at her- according to him- colourful language.

"Why'd you call me here?" she repeated.

"Oh, yes. Well," he began. "I'd like you to begin patrolling every night. You won't be alone, of course. If, for some reason beyond my control, I can not be there, then Angel, Wesley or Gunn will accompany you. It's simply that this city needs a Slayer out there, and the experience will help you considerably."

Buffy listened attentively, her excitement growing with each moment that passed. Slaying always took the edge away from her personal problems, and only doing it three nights a week was leaving her frustrated and itching for a good fight. 

"This is great," she said. "Thanks!" She ran over and wrapped her arms tightly around him. He stiffened at the embrace, but then relaxed and patted her awkwardly on the back. 

"T-that's fine…Buffy," he said. "But a man must breathe!"

She released him quickly, shrugging sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Okay, now off you go to breakfast." Her stomach grumbled loudly and she didn't wait to be told twice. She turned to leave, but he called her back. "Oh, wait! You don't mind if we train after lunch, do you?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

She watched for Spike all morning but found no trace of him. Stopping Gunn in the hall, she asked him where the bleached vampire was, but all he could tell her was that he was probably "doin' whatever he does during the day". It seemed no one knew what he did during the day, and her suspicions began to grow. She pushed them forcefully away, refusing to believe the vampire she loved could have anything to do with something so evil. They had even kidnapped him, for god's sake. They wouldn't go to that much trouble just to convince her he was good…would they?

Xander and Cordelia were not having much luck either. Gwendolyn Post acted like she did every other day; severe, aloof and malicious. Her class was the usual most boring hour of their lives, and her cutting insults did not become more or less harsh than they usually were. They followed her in between classes, and watched her tell off students and bitch to other teachers. She was definitely not acting any different, but that did not mean anything. She was still on their list. 

Cordelia followed her to the bottom floor after class alone. Xander had a detention in the hall for not handing up an assignment, and had slouched away grumbling. She had not been happy when Xander had told her, and had reluctantly followed the Mathematics teacher. Nothing much happened and she considered returning to the dorms to fix the chipping on one of her nails, but she did not particularly look forward to Xander's scathing comments that she wasn't able to follow and watch someone. She knew they thought her to be nothing but a stupid bimbo, and she was going to show them that she _could _do something to help.

A phone suddenly rang, and Gwendolyn pulled a cell phone from her bag.

"Yes?" she answered frostily. Cordelia couldn't hear what the other person was saying, but she understood the gist of it.

"What happened?" she continued into the cell. "Another one? A week? That should be okay. We're having trouble here though. He's returned. Yes, I know. I'll try to find out exactly what happened…let you know. Fine."

She snapped the cell phone shut and walked on, but Cordelia's mind was racing. She had spoken about Doyle, and had told whoever was on the other side that she would find out more. It all pointed to the same thing. She quickly turned and rushed back to her room, smirking as she imagined her friends' faces when she told them the news.

Willow, Oz and Anya found Lorne to be a most intriguing demon they had ever met. Actually, seeing as he was the _only _demon they had ever met, their opinion was failr predisposed. He was constantly in a bright, bouncy mood, and his ability to talk in almost incomprehensible English reminded them uncannily of Buffy. He told jokes to the students, cheered the staff, entertained his classes, and was an all round perfectly nice guy. The only thing slightly suspicious about him was the horrendous suits he insisted on wearing. Anya found herself thinking that it was lucky Cordelia had not been watching Lorne, or the brunette may have found herself in hell.

They had been swapping watch outside Lorne's quarters up until lunch, and decided that a quick check afterward would be sufficient. It was then that they saw the green-skinned demon sneak from his room and leave the school. What was he doing at this time of the day, when most teachers would be readying themselves for their next class? They hurried back to the room, disappointed that Lorne was as suspicious as they believed. 

None of them realized they were being watched.


	25. Dreaming of You

****

Chapter 25

****

As soon as Buffy returned from a lunch time training session that day she was accosted by a rowdy argument that resounded down the hall. Rolling her eyes, Buffy hurried to her room where she knew her friends bickering was coming from. Upon opening the door, she was hit by a short silence, which once more exploded into a loud verbal fight. They all shouted incomprehensible accusations and protests that rang through her head in a painful echo. The content and happy feeling she had radiated after training was gone; all that remained was a thumping, head-splitting headache. She glanced to Oz for help and he understood her silent plea immediately, placing two fingers in his mouth and sounding a high-pitched whistle. The fighting stopped, and Buffy sagged in relief.

"What the hell is going on?" she demanded.

Willow stepped forward. "We can't agree on a suspect. They all acted suspiciously in some way."

"So?"

They stared at her, confused as to why she could not see the dilemma.

"So?" Xander said. "So…we've done all this work and gotten nowhere."

Buffy sighed and rolled her eyes. "At least we know one of them is the culprit."

"Yes, b-but…" Xander sputtered, trying to find the words that seemed to elude him.

"But nothing. We'll watch them again tomorrow. Now get out so I can have a shower before our Unusual Demons class."

They reluctantly left, and Buffy quickly showered. Half an hour later she wriggled into a spare seat between Willow and Cordelia in the amphitheatre, dropping her books onto the desk in front of her. Lorne entered a moment after she slid into her seat and the students quietened. They all loved this lecture. Buffy thought it was rather sly of the teachers to put this class on a Friday afternoon, the last class of the week. Instead of being slow and tired as most schools would be, this particular class was well anticipated. 

Lorne gave a little bow and began. 

"Today we will finally talk about the niggling question that's been on everyone's tongue since the day they found out about the evils in this world."

There was a still silence, and Lorne nodded. 

"Is the devil real? Does Satan exist? Is the Lord of the Underground a myth, or simply a forgotten truth?" 

Buffy's attention was focused and eager. Like everyone in the amphitheatre, this was one question she wanted to know. Although she had brushed off the notion of God and the Devil long ago, it was something that had never been asserted, and the thought of finding out now grabbed her attention like food grabbed Xander's. 

"The truth is…nobody knows."

The disappointment was almost tangible. Buffy rolled her eyes, mentally slapping herself for actually thinking she would get a straight answer from these guys. 

"But scrolls have been discovered in the ruins of a castle in Hampshire, England, retelling a chronicle of a girl's life. The Watcher's Council discovered it was written by a young woman, and the tales recounted were that of a Slayer, apparently the girl's servant."

Buffy's interest was instantly grasped again, and she fought the urge to punch Xander for his obvious glance her way. 

"The girl wrote of overhearing her maid's Watcher speak of an earthquake and a storm as fulfilling the signs of an impending apocalypse, and his discovery of a demon attempting to rise on the equinox. Do any of you know what an equinox is?"

A young girl near the front timidly lifted her hand.

"Yes?"

"Two moments of the year where the sun is directly above the equator and day and night are of equal length."

"Good job. It was foretold that at this moment, He would rise. Care to take a guess as to who He was supposed to be?"

A chorus of students called out. "Satan."

"Exactly." Lorne scooted onto his desk. "The Slayer was called to thwart the ritual that would set him free, but she was apparently hindered and arrived too late. He…wait, does anyone know why I am using He, instead of Satan?" No one answered so he continued. "The Devil and Satan are names created by man. His real name can not be pronounced in our language or any other than the language He created. But back to the story. The girl who wrote in the diary did not see the actual fight, but told of her belief that the Slayer may have been betrayed. Nothing is known about what happened later. All we know is that He needed a corporal body to survive on this plain, and he was resurrected into the form of a raven before transforming into his true form. The woman recorded that the Slayer succeeded in destroying him, at the cost of her own life." 

There was a wave of whispers at the conclusion of the story, and Lorne continued to tell of other reported sighting and prophesies. Buffy listened in rapt attention, amazed at how skilled the Slayer must have been to defeat Satan himself. A wave of defeat washed over her as she pictured the abilities the Slayer must have had. Would she ever be as good at that?

Buffy had been told by her Watcher that she had excelled in her training. Her senses were well developed and her strength amazing for someone called so recently. But there was a lingering shadow of Kendra, the dark Slayer they had met first, and the one which had changed their point of view on the entire Slayer deal. She had been one of the longest lived Slayers, one of the most effective and dangerous. She did not like to admit it, but she felt that she had to live up to her their standards. That she had to become Kenda the second and be as good a Slayer as she had. Buffy felt the expectations weigh her down, and no matter how much she tried to ignore them they were always in the back of her mind.

Although Miss Kirly had recounted many stories of past Slayers, never had one had such an effect on her. For God's sake, this Slayer had defeated the fear of all humans. She had banished the horror most people dreaded finding in their afterlife. She was ashamed at the fear flooding her veins. 

Buffy sensed that she was being watched and glanced up to see Miss Kirly observing her. Her face was passive, and she gave Buffy a small smile before turning to face Lorne. Buffy frowned, wondering why a teacher was present for Lorne's lecture. She dismissed it with shrug, turning to collect her books as Lorne ended the lesson. She trouped back to her room with Willow and Cordelia in tow, chatting about what they planned to do on the weekend. 

Willow quickly changed and babbled some excuse about studying in the library, but her cheeks flushed crimson as she spoke and Buffy and Cordelia had no illusion about what 'studying' meant. 

"No probs, Will," Buffy teased. "I'm sure Oz will be waiting for you."

The redhead scurried away, embarrassed, and Cordelia sniggered. 

"I'm going to see what's on at the movies," Cordy declared, reapplying her lip gloss. Buffy rolled her eyes. Cordelia was not checking the movie guide, she knew, but the brunette would never reveal what she was actually going to do. Buffy had caught, with much surprise, Cordelia and Xander kissing. She knew how embarrassed they both were and did not persist in attempting to get Cordelia to admit it. Nodding and murmuring a short goodbye, Buffy waited until she had the room to herself before sitting in the middle of the floor, her legs crossed. Closing her eyes, she began to focus on her breathing, moving her body as it desired. Her tai chi sessions were relished, and she took every spare chance she got to practise. 

Buffy was half way through her session when she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She staggered on her feet, reaching out for something to balance her. Finding the bed, she slumped onto the mattress and found herself falling back. Her head hit the bed with a soft thud, and she couldn't do anything as her vision turned black and the world slipped away. 

****

_"Don't go."_

_A red-haired girl stopped and turned around, a weak smile on her face. She looked into the eyes of her mistress, the Lady of the house, her friend. _

_"I have to, Mary."_

_Mary stamped her foot in frustration, a hint of fear behind her blue eyes. "No, Lucy. You don't!" she said, pushing back the tears threatening to spill. _

_"Of course I do," Lucy said quietly. "Who else will stop it?"_

_"I-I…I don't know. But I won't let you go." Mary crossed her arms, a look of fierce determination and authority in her eyes. "This is not like those little fights you always win, Lucy. This is worse than anything you've ever faced. This is HIM we are talking about." She dropped her head, losing the battle to keep her tears from falling. "He will kill you, Luc." _

_Lucy sighed and walked over to her friend, pulling the brunette into a hug. Mary clung to her, burying her face in Lucy's shoulder._

_"Then so be it," Lucy whispered in her friend's hair. "But He will come with me."_

_She pulled away from Mary's embrace and fled from the room, disappearing over the balcony and into the night. Mary stood still in the middle of the room, then collapsed to her knees, sobbing into her hands. _

_Lucy ran through the night, easily evading the guards, and hurrying as fast as her legs would carry her. He would be waiting, and there was nobody else but her to stop him. The world slept on, unaware that it could come to an end within the very hour. She envied their oblivion. Her hand slipped behind her back and she touched the edge of her sword, more for comfort than reassurance. A small dagger and a stake were strapped to her ankles, and she felt them chafe at her skin as she ran._

_She saw the edge of the forest in front of her, and her keen sense of hearing could hear the murmur of chants on the wind. The ritual had already started. She increased her speed, weaving through trees and leaping over fallen logs. The chants became louder as she approached, and she could vaguely make out the orange glow of fire. She slowed her pace as she reached the outer circle of trees in the clearing, careful to remain hidden in the safety of shadows. She quickly counted the number of vampires. Twenty chanting and four humans as sacrifices. Damn. She hated when humans were involved. It complicated matters because not only did she have to slay the vampires, but she had to make sure the people got away safely. _

_The next few minutes passed in a blur. She silently dispatched the outer ring of vampires; the others did not realize their comrades were dust until it was too late. Then she stood in the middle of the clearing, alone, except for a solitary figure kneeling in front of a stone alter. It stood and held the knife above its head, bringing it down on a wriggling bird tied to the alter. It was black as night, and screamed in agony as the knife ripped through its chest. _

_She was tired and bruised and sore, but her mouth seemed to ignore the pains. "Sorry to interrupt, but I think you just lost this round."_

_The figure began to laugh, a faint chuckle at first, and then a full fledged booming. Lucy watched, a trace of fear tingling down her spine. The figure rose to his feet and her blood chilled in her veins when she heard it speak._

_"So you believe…Lucy."_

_A strangled cry of disbelief rose into the night, and Lucy's eyes widened. No…it couldn't be. _

_"But…"_

_"You thought you could defeat such an evil? It is above everything on this earth, and no mere girl shall stop it."_

_"Why?" she whispered._

_"Your Watcher died the day you were called, dear, those four months ago. I felled him with my own hand. My Master bade me wait, ordered me to guide you as a Watcher would, so that when the time came, you would be ready."_

_"R-ready?" she asked, hating the voice her voice shook._

_"Yes, ready. Ready to become the final sacrifice. A drop of your blood came from him when the Slayer was created. That is why the Slayer's essence is shrouded in darkness. Now it shall return to him."_

_A knife appeared in her Watcher's hand and before she could move it sliced through her arm. She cried out and tried to snatch the knife away, but her Watcher shot towards the alter and held it over the stone, screaming in a forgotten language._

_Lucy watched helplessly as a drop of her blood fell from the knife. As soon as the red liquid hit the dead bird a fire erupted on the alter, and she could do nothing as a figure emerged. The wind whipped her hair and stung her eyes, but she held her ground. The figure was no more than a man but when he locked eyes with her she saw the emptiness, the pure evilness reflected in the black orbs. This was Him. She was too late. _

_Her Watcher laughed._

_Lucy felt the haziness of denial slip away, only to be replaced by the sting of betrayal. She had trusted her life in her Watcher's hands. She had given her love, devotion and confidence to this person and here they were, the minion of one of the greatest evils to exist. And it broke her heart._

_A clarifying sensation passed through her body and mind, and Lucy felt every sting of pain this treachery caused. Her fury raced through her blood, making her skin prickle. She felt strength like never before and it burned. She thought of Mary, waiting at the castle for her to return, felt the fear belying her friend's cool exterior. The memory of her friend's face focused her mind. As she looked into the eyes of her Watcher, she smiled. _

_"You have lost," her Watcher murmured in glee. "The world will fall! There is no way to defeat Him!" _

_Lucy turned to face Him. _

_"Yes there is."_

_Her Watcher's smile faltered. "Oh? With what?"_

_"Me."_

_Lucy grabbed the bloody knife from the alter and plunged it into His stomach. He shrieked, pulled it out and flung it through the air. He reached forward and clutched her neck, the shriek slowly turning into a howl. She gasped for air, and struggled violently against the growing coldness seeping into her body. She kicked out, catching His shin, and heard bone crack. She felt the fingers around her throat loosen and twisted away, but she was too slow. His nail sliced across her throat, and she felt detached as her blood flowed from the wound, covering Him in crimson liquid. It seemed to burn him and the blood glowed. _

_As the world exploded around her, she saw her Watcher scream and grab the knife then flee into the night. Then she was free._

Buffy woke with a scream.

****

_Yes, I know it's been a while but we're finally coming to the end! Please review and tell me what you thought. And sorry for the mini-cliffhanger._


	26. Betrayals

****

Chapter 26

****

Buffy woke with a scream. She leapt from her bed and stood, panting, in the middle of her room. Her mind was hazy, vague, as thought a mist was swirling through her thoughts. She could not make sense of anything. Who she was, where she was, what she was doing; it was all a great confusion of thoughts, faces and words… 

And then it was clear. With a sudden rush everything came back to her. The Slayers, the Watchers, the school, the dreams… 

Her latest dream hit her and she clutched her head, trying to make sense of it all. The girl had been a Slayer, obviously, and must have been called in the eleventh century or something like it. It had seemed so familiar, though, as if she had seen it before. She realized that she had _heard _of it before, and remembered with sudden clarity Lorne's class. She had dreamt the entire night, but that was not all. Buffy had _been _the girl. Lucy, her name had been. Buffy had been in her body, had run when she ran, felt what she felt, thought what she thought. It was frightening when she recalled the girl's final moments. 

_I was with her when she died, _Buffy though, shivering at the idea. 

She tried to remember everything in the dream, when a face flashed through her mind. It was the Watcher, the face that peered out from beneath the black cloak as they fled while Lucy died. Buffy knew that face. Buffy had seen it only a few hours ago. 

With a speed that Giles would be proud of, she snapped back into reality and hurtled from the room, along the corridor, down the stairs, and skidded to a halt in the door of the hall. Taking a few steps into the hall, she searched frantically for Angel or one of the other teachers, but found only the students who were munching contentedly on the dinner and were blissfully aware of the danger they were in. Her heart began to race as realized that they had been in danger all along. A hand clamped over her shoulder, and she spun around to find Angel and Spike standing behind her. Spike avoided her gaze, preferring to look over her shoulder instead. 

"Angel!" she cried breathlessly. 

He instantly narrowed his eyes, detecting the fear in her voice. "What's wrong?"

"You need to get all the teachers and hunters _now_!" she cried, oblivious to the fact that the entire hall had fallen silent at her out burst.   

"We can't," he replied. "They've all gone to an overnight training camp. They left after classes finished for the day."

Buffy suddenly felt cold. A tingle shot down her spine as she finally realised the trap they had been led into. 

"How did you know about this camp?" she asked softly. 

"Why does it matter?" Spike asked, staring at her intently.

"Because I know who's been spying on us," she said. "I know who's betraying us. I know who has hired the Watchers under Traver's control." 

Angel and Spike's expressions would have almost been amusing had it not been under such dire circumstance. They stared at her, eyes wide, mouths slighting open. 

"Well who the bloody hell is it?" Spike bellowed when she didn't continue. 

"It's…"

"Me."

Buffy froze, recognising the voice of the Watcher in her dream. It sliced through the fear clouding her mind, and made her heart skip a beat. This was one of those times she had always snorted at the movies. Right when the main character was about to reveal who the bad guy is, said bad guy turned up. Coincidence much? In an extremely inappropriate moment, Buffy swore never to doubt chance and coincidence again. Then she slowly turned to confront the face of all her fears and troubles.

"Ah, Buffy dear," the Watcher said.

Buffy raised her eyes and looked into the eyes of her enemy.

"Miss Kirly."

Miss Kirly laughed; a loud, bitter laugh that rang through the hall. "Yes, Slayer."

"But you're…" she murmured, trailing off. "But Lorne and Post and Spike were supposed to be-"

"Those three?" Kirly chuckled again. "Lorne is so busy organising his pathetic karaoke club that he doesn't see anything strange right next to him. And Gwendolyn is not evil- just a bitch. Now, _Spike, _there's a man with the potential to be evil. But you see he just didn't have it in him. It's all that soul business…So passé these days."

Why?" Buffy managed to choke out, unable to belief she had been played so well.

The Watcher's eyes darkened. "Because I have waited too long."

Buffy was assaulted by a familiar pain. With every second that passed it grew, until it was an insistent pain screaming at her. She knew what this meant. 

A lot of trouble. 

She managed to dive at Spike and knock him to the ground before a wooden arrow slammed into the wall where he had been leaning. There was a moment of silence, and then all hell broke loose. The high windows smashed and black figures flew through them, landing gracefully on the ground below. They instantly headed for the students, who screamed and tried to get out of the way. Buffy watched as the black figures herded the students towards the centre of the hall and realized that they were pushing them into a trap. She glanced helplessly at Angel and Spike, and they all knew that they couldn't protect all of the students at once.

Buffy knew that wouldn't stop them anyway. Without another thought the three of them jumped into the fray; kicking, punching and hitting anything that moved. She moved in and out of the black bodies, dodging flailing limbs and ducking wild blows. She kept an eye on both the vampires fighting alongside her, making sure that neither of them dug themselves in too deep.

She saw Spike's blonde hair disappear, and her heart leapt into her throat. Twisting away from another wild punch, she glanced desperately to where she had last seen him. Four black clad figures were concentrating on something beneath their feet, clobering it with their fists. With a roar, they were thrown back and scattered across the floor. Spike jumped to his feet, looking all the world for one pissed off vampire. 

Her racing heart slowed only a touch at the sight of him, and she prayed to whatever higher being were watching to let them all get out of this alive. 

She felt a sharp blow connect with the back of her head and she stumbled forward. Landing in the arms of a brunette student, she quickly shot him a grateful glance before steadying herself and heading for the man who had hit her. 

Buffy was surprised when she hit an invisible barrier, preventing her from reaching the man. 

"What the..." she muttered, touching the wall. Her first thought was that the Watchers had a sorcerer, but that thought was disbanned as soon as she saw the confusion in the rank of the black figures. They were uncertain of what to do, and she saw that the barrier was in fact forming a protectice wall against the Watchers. Spike was also touching the wall, a scowl crossing his feature. She turned around, frowning when she saw Angel's relieved smile. 

Tara stood in the middle of the frightened students, both hands out in front of her, palms facing forward. She had her eyes closed, and her lips were moving as she muttered incantations under her breath. 

Buffy raced over to where Angel stood, grabbing his arm forcefully. 

"We need a plan," she said.

He nodded, shooting Spike a glance as he sauntered over. 

"What's with Glinda?" he asked. "When'd she get here?"

"Teleported in a few moments ago," relied Angel. "The apocalypse in India was averted about half an hour ago."

"Good to know," Buffy said. "But what're we gonna do now?"

Angel closed his eyes, his forehead creasing as he thought. "I can't believe... Miss Kirly."

Spike snorted. "Didn't think the stuffy old bint had it in her."

"How?" Angel continued. "I had everyone's background checked. There was no way-"

"I need to tell you something," Buffy said, capturing the attention of both vampires. "She isn't just an evil Watcher. I had a...a Slayer dream or something, and she was in it. The weird thing was, I was dreaming about the eleventh century. She's not human. The other thing...wanna know who Traver's master is?"

"Kirly?" Spike exclaimed. "She's the Big Bad we've been lookin' for?"

"Nope. She's just the minion."

"But I thought..." Angel began.

"There's an even bigger bad. And I'm talking BIG."

"Not to hurry you, pet, but we ain't got a lot of time." 

Buffy opened her mouth to speak when a hand landed on her shoulder. Spinning around she gripped the wrist, freezing when she recognized the blonde witch.

"Tara..." she breathed. "But what about the barrier?"

Tara pointed to where a familiar redhead stood, chanting in the same position as Tara. There were another six students chanting beside Willow, all touching a part of her body. 

"What happened?" she asked. Buffy tore her eyes away from the sight of her best friend and listened as Angel quickly filled her in on the Watcher's attack.

"Guys!" Buffy interrupted. "Miss Kirly is working for the devil!"

The three of them stared at her. 

"The devil! Satan! Lord of the Underground! Whatever you want to call him. _She _is his minion. And she is going to raise him tonight if we don't stop her."

"Very good." 

Buffy turned slowly at the familiar, taunting voice. Miss Kirly smiled back at them from beyond the barrier. 

"And how do you propose you will stop me from your little protected dome?" She cackled, obviously enjoying the fact that she knew something they did not. "As we speak my men are scouring the building for the last ingredient. In a matter of minutes I believe I shall have it, and then where will this pathetic world be?"

Buffy let this knowledge sink in, and behind her stoic facial expression her mind was whirling.

"Why would you think this thing you're looking for is in this building?" she asked slowly, feeling her skin crawl when Miss Kirly turned to look at her.

"Because this is the same building I hid it in all those years ago."

At the ex-Watcher's words Buffy's head began to spin. She knew where it was, and she knew what it was. 

She realized now that the terrifying dream she had after being rescued from Traver's clutches had been her in Lucy's body. She had seen what Lucy had seen as the Lord of the Underground came towards her. All the other dreams slowly became revealed, and she was hit with a barrage of pictures and words and emotions. The Watchers, the dreams, the memories, the crow…

It was like a veil had been lifted from her mind and all the pieces of the puzzle slid into place. She knew what she had to do. 

Turning abruptly away from the others, Buffy found Xander and pulled him aside, whispering furiously in his ear. He nodded and followed her to the others. Buffy noticed in relief that Miss Kirly had joined the Watchers in the search. There was a circle of armed men surrounding the circle of students, but she wasn't concerned. They would not prove a difficult obstruction to get through. 

"I know where it is," she told them. 

"Where what is?" Angel asked, a frown creasing his forehead. 

"What Kirly's looking for."

"What's she-"

"Doesn't matter," she cut Spike off, waving a hand to dismiss any more questions. "I can get to it, but I need help."  

****

_Remember to review!_


	27. Tastes Like Strawberries

****

Chapter 27

****

Xander stood beside Buffy, nervously shifting from foot to foot. A year ago he would have been skateboarding through the halls of high school, trying desperately to impress the cheerleaders and avoiding their boyfriends. Now he was standing next to a beautiful girl who was also the Slayer, and they were about to fight against one of the most terrifying Big Bads that existed. Not to mention that he was dying to go to the loo, and had been ever since Buffy had told him the plan. A plan which involved leaving the safety of this extremely comforting barrier. And again with the loo thing. 

"So what've we got planned for tomorrow?" he said. "'Coz I was thinking after the whole 'slay the devil' thing I'd be in serious need of a movie marathon. Nothing too strenuous."

Buffy wanted to smile at Xander's attempt to lighten the mood, but she could not force herself to. There was something about facing death that made her feel sick, and she was struggling to stand on her own two feet. Her first apocalypse. She almost snorted- that was something she never expected to say. Her first boyfriend, yes. Her first part-time job. Her first love, certainly. But not her first slain vampire. Not her first round of torture. Not her first apocalypse. Not her first moment of realising that she could die. 

She shook her head, ignoring Xander's questioning gaze. "Let's do it."

He nodded, and started humming. Angel and Spike moved into position, but then Spike seemed to change his mind and hurried over to her. She opened her mouth to ask what he was doing, but he grabbed her firmly by the arms and pressed his lips to hers. She froze, eyes wide open, unable to believe that Spike was kissing her. He finally released her and his eyes searched hers for some sort of reaction. 

"Spike, what…"

"You make sure you're there in the end so I can do that again, you hear me?"

She gaped, her body burning for more. "Y-yes."

"See 'ya later, then, love," he whispered before spinning on his heel and striding away. She watched him go with an ardent desire to call him back, but managed to refrain from doing so by attempting to return her thoughts to the task at hand. She saw the shocked expression on Xander's face and the amused smile- with a hint of protectiveness- on Angel's face. Then she returned her gaze to the woman in front of her. 

"How sweet," she purred at Spike. "One last kiss before she is killed, or should I say… before you kill her?" Buffy's head shot to where Spike stood, glaring at Miss Kirly. Her eyes suddenly widened in joy. "Oh my. She doesn't know, does she, _William_?" 

"Shut up," he snapped, clenching his fists at his side. 

"Didn't tell her?" she taunted. 

"Didn't tell me what?" Buffy asked, a knot of fear tying itself in her stomach. She watched as Spike and Miss Kirly continued to stare at each other, the latter smirking with apparent triumph. 

"Don't listen to her, Buffy," Angel murmured. "She's only trying to rile you."

"Why would I do that, Buffy?"

"Don't." Buffy snapped, clenching her fists at her side.

"Don't what?"

"Don't say my name like you have the right," she replied, and caught the flicker of anger in the woman's eyes.

Buffy's gaze flickered to the brunette vampire, and caught his warning glance. She felt Xander's hand press softly at the small of her back, and decided to ignore the woman who had betrayed them. 

"Let's do it," she said. Almost instantly the barrier was lifted. A burst of hot wind shot forth from Tara's hand and flung soldiers out of the way, creating a small path to the entrance of the hall. Xander picked Buffy up and ran faster than he had ever run in his life. Buffy felt her head go light from the sheer speed of their movements, and she only caught the briefest glimpse of Angel and Spike preventing the soldiers from following them before she was out of the hall. The classrooms passed in a blur as they sped down the corridors. Xander was careful to avoid any of the black clad soldiers searching the building, and they slid into the library a few minutes later. Neither of them saw Spike follow them. 

Xander placed Buffy back on her feet, and she squeezed his hand. 

"Thanks, Xand," she said.

"No probs, Buff," he replied with a grin. "Harris Shuttle Bus at your service, ma'am."

She smiled, musing over his ability to forget the perilous situation they were in. 

"You better go," Xander said with a small push. "I'll stand watch."

She flung him a grateful glance and hurried over to the book shelf at the back of the library. Skimming her fingers over the various books, she stopped when she found the right one and pulled it out. The door opened with a sharp 'click' and she jogged inside, making sure that it closed behind her. Then she turned to face the darkness, waiting for her eyes to adjust. She lifted her hand and touched the wall, walking down the tunnel with her fingers brushing the stone. When she saw certain that she had gone far enough, Buffy reached up with both hands and felt the cold stone for the familiar carving. 

Buffy smiled when she felt the outline of a bird, and pushed the carving in. The stone shifted beneath her fingers and there was a slight groaning as rock which had remained locked for centuries protested against the movement. A small door sprung open, revealing a hidden compartment in the wall. Buffy stared into it, not entirely pleased with the thought of reaching her hand into it. Tentatively brushing aside the cobwebs, she reached forward, recoiling at the sounds of scuttling spiders and insects. She took a deep breathe and reached forward again, this time until her whole arm was inside. Her fingers brushed against something cold and hard, and she grabbed it and pulled away from the wall quickly. 

In her hand was a tiny vile. _This must be what the biker vamp was after, _she thought. _But why is this so important?_

She slid the vile into her pocket and closed the secret compartment, quickly glancing over her shoulder when a heavy feeling of dread settled in her stomach. Something was wrong…and it was close. She felt a sharp twinge in her stomach and bolted for the entrance to the passage, silently skidding to a stop when she heard the voices.

"Where is she, boy?" 

Buffy didn't recognise the voice, and her heart sank when she realized that it must be one of Kirly's lackeys. But these guys were vampires, not the humans who had attacked them in the school. And it didn't take long for her to realize that the 'boy' in question was Xander.

"Where is who?" he asked, not even trying to keep to obvious mockery from his voice. There came the sounds of scuffling and a dull thud, following by a heavier, louder thump which made Buffy wince. Her heart was screaming for her to run out there and help her friend, but her logical mind refused to waste the chance Xander was giving her to either escape or devise a plan. There was no way she was leaving without him, so she was only left with one choice. Trade.

"Don't play dumb with me, little boy," the man hissed. "I could crush your body with my bare hands."

There was a soft moan of pain, and Buffy couldn't take it any longer. She plunged her hand in her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the vile. A moment later she threw her head back, clenched her stake in her hand and shoved the book shelf open, stepping into the library.

"And I could kill you with mine," she said, a glint of fury in her eyes. 

The man blinked once, twice, and then turned to his friends with a look of disbelief and burst into deep, hearty laughter. 

"You've g-got to be k-kidding me, kid," he said.

Buffy didn't listen to him, though, as her attention was riveted on the prone body of her friend. Xander was lying on his back, his face a mask of blood and bruises, and blood was pooling around his arm. It was obviously broken, and the sight of white bone protruding from the skin was enough to disband any doubts she had of being able to kill all the vampires in the room. She moved her arm slightly, drawing attention to the stake she clutched, then slipped her other hand to the band of her jeans and grasped her second stake. With barely a licker of movement the second stake had penetrated the vampire's heart and he exploded, sending a cloud of dust to descend over Xander. He lifted his head and coughed, and Buffy was relieved to see he was awake. 

"I-it's her!" another vampire stammered. "The Slayer!" And he promptly burst into ashes.

"Bloody right it is," Spike said, and Buffy felt herself lighten in his presence. There was something about him that made her happy, exhilarated, and completely fired up.

"Ah. The Slayer and the vampire."

Spike instinctively stepped closer to Buffy and Xander, and they watched as the crowd of vampires parted to make way for the woman who had betrayed them. Buffy felt sick at the thought of the time she had spent listening to Kirly speak about evils past Slayers had fought, yet not realizing that she was just as bad as any evil she spoke about. She had trusted this woman to train her, to help her protect herself and her friends, and finally knowing that it was all a hoax to get her to trust the "teacher" and let her guard down. And Buffy had fallen for it.

What kind of a Slayer did that make her? She couldn't even see evil and it had been right in front of her the whole time. _Kendra would have seen it, _a soft voice whispered in her mind. She brushed it away, determined not to let her short comings as a Slayer get her down. Now wasn't the time for self-questioning, and Xander needed help. 

"I believe you have what I'm looking for," Kirly said, her voice silky and amused. 

"And what would that be?" Buffy replied, her gaze flickering to where Xander lay.

Kirly noticed her wandering gaze and smirked. "Do you really think playing with me will give your friend time to escape? I don't think so." She knelt down and hauled the boy to his feet. A groan of agony passed his lips, but he refused to cry or scream. He found his footing and kept it, willing himself not to collapse. "Think hard now, Slayer. This boy or the vile? Which one do you want more?"

Buffy pretended to actually think about it, and then gave a short nod. "Fine, then. I give you this and you hand him over."

Kirly smiled victoriously, and her eyes widened in what almost looked like lust. "Now."

Buffy tossed the vile into the air as Xander was shoved across the floor. She caught him and held him to her chest, supporting him on her shoulder. Watching as Kirly caught the object, she gently lowered him to the floor. The Watcher held up her prize, grinning madly as she stared at it. Then she seemed to remember where she was and sneered at the Slayer and her friend.

"Big mistake, girly," she said, a short laugh escaping her lips. "Some Slayer you are. You couldn't even sacrifice your friends for the world. Because, _Buffy, _this tiny thing will end it."

Buffy snorted. "That? A crappy piece of glass?"

Kirly rolled her eyes. "Not the vile, you idiot. It's what it holds which will end the world!"

"There's nothing inside it."

Kirly's eyes bulged, and she quickly ripped the lid off, peering into the bottle. She slowly tipped it upside down, a scream of fury echoing through the library when nothing came out.

"You little _bitch!" _she shrieked. "What have you done with it?"

A smile stretched across Buffy's lips, and she lifted her head to look straight into the eyes of the traitor.

Licking her lips she said, "Tastes like strawberries."

****

_ Oh no…what will our hero do next? Hehe, make sure you review if you want more._


	28. Calling

****

Chapter 28

****

Spike was certain that if he breathed he would have stopped breathing; if his heart beat, it would have stopped beating; if his body was pervious to changes in temperature it would have gone cold when Buffy spoke those words. It couldn't be true…

_She will swallow darkness…_

He didn't know what had been in the vile, but he was sure it couldn't have been good if it was powerful enough to destroy the world. And now she had swallowed it, and the horrible contents were swirling down her throat and into her stomach. Spike struggled to control his anger and fear, only barely preventing his face from shifting into game face. It couldn't turn out like this…

_What is seen will pass…_

The thought of that…thing in her was enough to make him want to torture the Watcher bitch for giving her no other choice. No other choice than to begin to fulfil what he had been told. The foretold events leading up to this moment had passed, and the sordid feeling in the pit of his gut told him that things were about to be set in motion. Things he couldn't stop, even if he knew they were coming. 

"You stupid bint!" he hissed, grabbing her forcefully by the shoulders. "What'd you think you were doing?"

"Doing what a Slayer's supposed to do," she replied softly. "Aren't Slayers supposed to save the world? Give their life so others can keep living?"

_A sacrifice imperative…_

"N…no!" Xander whispered from the wall.

"Not anymore." Spike searched her eyes imploringly. "You have people like us who can help you, who will do it for you."

She shook her head sadly. "I can't let that happen."   

"Yes you can!" he all but shouted, the futility of what he was doing sinking in. Buffy had already consumed the substance. The effects would soon ravage her body, her mind, and destroy the woman he loved. He had been told this would happen, but he had stupidly refused to accept that he loved her. If he had only figured it out sooner, put a name to these feelings he had for the little blonde Slayer, then maybe he could have somehow warned her. Somehow saved her.  

_You will be too late…_

The silence was thick, and Buffy's admission had evidently shocked Kirly so much that she was gaping like a fish out of water.  

"Do you have any idea of what you have done?" she said, her voice steely and low.

"Swallowed some disgusting, century-old, probably evil liquid?"

"That was the last ingredient." Kirly paused, and then shrugged. "Well, this _does _change things. But the show must go on."

Before Buffy knew what was happening, she had appeared by her side, and Kirly slid the knife into her stomach. Buffy gasped as the sharp metal pierced her skin then muscle and tendons. The burning pain shot through her body like fire, and when the Watcher slid the knife back out again the pain doubled in intensity. She cried out, clutching at the wound in a futile attempt to stop the blood from seeping through her fingers. She vaguely noticed Spike throw the woman away and wrap his arms around her waist, holding her upright. The world was slowly changing, the colours gradually becoming duller and the sounds merging together. 

She was hit with the realization of what the Watcher was doing; she was raising him, and not into a crow's dead body as the original plan intended. Buffy had the contents of the vile inside her… She was going to be the vessel. He was going to rise inside her. 

The very thought made her queasy and she grabbed her head, willing herself to ignore the affects of her wound and remain standing. Somewhere in the back of her mind she comprehended that Kirly was screaming in some long forgotten language, and Buffy remembered the words from her vision. It was going to happen any time now. She could feel it, a darkness swirling at the centre of her, waiting to be freed into the world. She struggled against it, pushing it further back, but it resisted. Her strength was wanning. 

Spike watched with desperation as the Slayer fell into shock. He wouldn't allow himself to believe it, wouldn't allow himself to dwell on it for more than a second. It had been so long ago, and so many years had passed that he had convinced himself that it was false. That she was just a lonely old beggar searching for a way to get a few pounds. That her insistent pleas for him to listen were just an act. That she was wrong.

_You shall watch the one you love die. And the only way to save her is to kill her. _

He did not realize he had spoken aloud. And as Buffy finally fell limp in his arms, he realized that his stupidity may come with a price- her life. And the thought of this girl, the one he loved, dead, almost made his snap. But he couldn't- he needed to be here for the end, even if the end was today. He listened with detached attention as her heart beat slowly, and her breathing stopped. And when the blood finally ceased rushing through her veins, he knew what he had to do.

****

Back in the hall, Faith watched with restless unease as Angel tried to hold the influx of soldiers from following Buffy and Xander. He was doing alright, but she knew she could be of some help to him. Her training sessions with Buffy had done wonders for her abilities in fighting, and she considered herself capable of defending herself, even helping if she needed to. And so she did so now. Quickly jumping away from the circle of students, she watched as the barrier reasserted itself around them, cutting her off from the safety within. On her own with the soldiers coming towards her and with only one preoccupied vampire as her backup, Faith was suddenly at home. As she swung her fist at the first of her opponents, she had a content feeling of being at home. This was what she was meant to be doing- fighting for those who couldn't fight for themselves. Protecting those who needed it. 

It was this thought she clung to as she punched and kicked and ducked and twisted her way through her enemies, letting it pour strength into her body and determination into her mind. She was not as strong as Buffy, and so was forced to rely on skill and speed. And the knowledge that if she didn't beat them they would not hesitate to kill her. And Faith didn't feel like dying yet. She had too much to live for. But even that knowledge was not enough, because as strong as she may be as a potential Slayer, she was no match for so many soldiers. She was tiring quickly, faster then what she would have liked, and was no closer to Angel than she had been. 

She heard a deafening roar, and turned to see Oz leading a group of werewolves into battle. She watched, mesmerized, as they tore through the pack surrounding Angel, picking out and killing the vampires while only disabling the humans. Faith was impressed by the self control. According to Angel, learning to control the wolf inside and make it do your will was one of the hardest tasks attempted at the school by students. Faith glanced at Willow, still helping Tara uphold the barrier, and saw her mixed expression of pride and fear.

It was at that moment she felt a sharp bolt of pain shoot through her chest. It was not extremely painful; rather, it was exhilarating and pleasurable experience. Warmth spread from her chest to her arms and lower body, sparking the weary muscles and limbs. A strength unlike anything she had ever felt before filled her, and she was suddenly full of energy, itching for something to hit.  She ignored the blows raining down on her small frame and reciprocated with all she had, watching with amazement as fully grown-men flew through the air at the slightest touch of her fist.  

She could not understand what was happening to her, but Faith saw Angel slowing and worked her way towards the brunette vampire. He glanced up in surprise as his opponent was suddenly struck down in front of him, and his expression turned to one of stunned disbelief when he saw her. 

"Faith…" he began.

"Later," she replied, ducking quickly and narrowly missing a decapitation. Dropping to the ground, she kicked out her leg, catching the man in his knee. She heard the snap of bone and rose to her feet before he fell. She finally noticed that Buffy and Xander were no where in sight and pointed it out to Angel. He nodded towards the protective barrier and the two sprinted across the hall, dispatching whoever tried to obstruct their path. Tara saw them coming and she and Willow lowered the barrier for an instant, allowing the two fighters to rejoin the huddle of students. 

Willow, Cordelia and Oz ran towards them with Tara not far behind. 

Angel ignored them and grabbed Faith roughly by the shoulders. "What the hell just happened out there?"

Faith shook her head. "I-I don't know. But one minute I was about to cark it, the next I felt…amazing. Like nothing could stop me. Like I was invincible."

Angel stared at her hard, and then stood back. "Hit me."

"What?"

"Hit me, Faith."

Faith stared back at him as though he were crazy. "Why the hell…?"

"Just do it!"

She shrugged and drew back her arm, throwing a punch at his chin. Her fist connected with his head and he flew back, slamming into the wall of the barrier. Faiths eyes widened in surprise and she gazed at her fist. The others were shocked at this display; how had Faith, a teenage girl, hit the strongest vampire they knew and actually hurt him?

"Wh-what the…?"

Angel rose to his feet, watching her intently, his eyes darkening with every second that passed. His body stiffened, and he clenched his fists by his side, shaking with anger. But then he hung his head, and all fury left him. He lifted his head, and they could all see the grief shining in his brown eyes. 

"Buffy," he whispered.

It took a moment for them to understand, and when it did Willow jumped forward. "No way! Buffy can't have…She couldn't have…It's not that!"

Faith stilled, her mind whirling when comprehension dawned. She had been Called. She was the Slayer. Which meant that the previous Slayer had…

No.

Willow collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, and Oz knelt beside her, cradling her frail body in his arms. Cordelia stood where she was, tears falling down her cheeks, and Tara cried softly into her hands. Kendra's death was still raw; she couldn't deal with losing another one so quickly. 

Faith looked towards Angel, pleading him with her eyes to make it not so. She had always wanted to be the Slayer, but not at the expense of Buffy's life. That was a price she was not willing to pay. But it seemed that whether or not she was willing it had happened: she had been Called. 

Which meant Buffy was dead.


	29. Life and Death

_A huge shout out to everyone who reviewed! You made my day, and even inspired me to write another chapter. Thanks to the newcomers: **PhoenixMoon 13** (your amazing reviews had me in a dazzled stupor for almost ten minutes, and then snapped me out of my writer's block), _**_amylase, stonecoldfox _**_and **DragonKatGal** (whose stories are amazing and keeps me striving to improve my writing). Also a huge thanks to my loyal reviewers: **ms trick** (I wait for your reviews before even thinking of posting another chapter), **GwEnDoLyN**** P. MaLfOy** and** Courtney37**._

__

Chapter 29

_1897_

_Spike slipped his arm around his princess and whispered in her ear. "Time for a snack, ducks."_

_She shivered with excitement, gazing down the stone cobbled street. When she turned to face him, Drusilla's eyes were widened in raw, crazed hunger. "Can we please have someone young tonight? Someone young and silly, like the flowers, and someone old and wise like the moon."_

_Spike chuckled. "You can whatever you want, as long as you take it soon."_

_She clapped her hands in glee and pointed to a dingy cart on the side of the road. They slinked towards it, and he saw a small room behind it. Peering through the window, he noticed and old woman huddled before the fire stirring something in the pot. He grinned and pulled Dru closer. _

_"Look, pet," he murmured. "Here's the entrée."_

_"Ah," she crooned. "Such a clever girl, she is." Suddenly Dru gasped and clutched at her head. She began to wail and Spike clamped his hand over her mouth, dragging her away fro the old woman's window._

_"What's the matter?"_

_"She will tell you things that should not be!" she whined. "Things about yellow hair and blood and love!"_

_Spike tried to make sense of her babbling, but she became too agitated and hurried off into the night. He thought it best to let her go since she wasn't the best of company when in a state like this one. He watched her go, pondering her words and glancing towards the window where the old woman still sat by the fire. Dru's insane ramblings were too common for him to take much notice, but there was something in the way her eyes flashed with jealousy and sympathy that made him want to discover the cause of this angst. He slipped into the covered doorway and knocked on the door. There is no answer but he feelt the tension thicken inside the house. She knew he was there, and she knew what he was. Which is why he was completely taken aback when the door creaked open and an unexpected soft, girly voice called to him. _

_"Come in, vampire."_

_Spike raised his eyebrows in surprise and adhered, sliding through the door and standing two feet into the small room. The crone was still seated before the fire, and Spike would have normally been provoked to just kill her right then. But there was something about her that made him hesitate. _

_"You will not kill me," she said, neither questioning him nor telling him. She was merely stating a fact; one which he suddenly knew was true. He could not kill her. _

_"Why am I here?" he asked._

_She turned to face him and he startled when he saw the white orbs of a blind person staring back at him. She chuckled. "Don't worry, vampire. I may not be able to see but I can still see things."_

_Spike shook his head in confusion, and then cocked his head to the side when understanding dawned. She was a seer, like Dru. _

_"What do you see?"_

_"Many things.__ But they are not for you to know, at least not yet. I shall tell you this, however. She will swallow the darkness and what has been seen will pass. A sacrifice will be imperative for the summoning, and you will be too late."_

_"What kind of bollocks was that?" Spike scoffed, taking a threatening step closer. She held up her hand, and when he looked around Spike found himself once more outside the threshold of her room. _

_She turned to him, the white orbs suddenly sharp and steely. "You shall watch the one you love die. And the only way to save her is to kill her. Goodbye, vampire."_

Spike stared at her body, wondering why he wasn't sad, wasn't angry, wasn't anything. There should have been some sort of feeling as a testament to her death. Grief was usually associated with ones feelings when dealing with the death of a loved one. So why wasn't there some goddamned feeling in him?

Miss Kirly stared at Buffy's still form with an expression akin to hunger. She held her breath, waiting for something that was sure to happen soon.

And sure enough, a moment later Spike felt his world shift once more.

Buffy opened her eyes. Pushing herself to her knees, she then climbed to her feet and turned her head from left to right, looking at her surroundings in calm curiosity. Her gaze fell upon the Watcher, and Kirly sank to her knees in wonderment. The vampires behind her fell to the ground, flattening their bodies against the carpeted floor.

Spike watched in detached amazement as the girl he thought dead rose to her feet. He stood utterly still, afraid that if he moved then the dream might break and her face would dissolve from the scene in front of him. His heart, which had surely been shattered by the muted thump of the impact of her body on the floor, clenched in his chest. She was so beautiful! If only he could reach out and touch her…

She turned to him then, and the faint hope the vision of her rising had given him was dashed. Her eyes were black. Empty. Nothing. They were not the emerald windows they once were, but black depths that led to absolute nothingness. They were voids. And he knew that she was not hidden behind them. This thing that stood before him was not his beloved Slayer, and he vowed to kill whatever wore her skin and dishonoured her memory.

"It has been long since I walked above ground," she said, dipping her head slightly and smiling at him. "And the circumstances are not far removed."

"My Lord," Miss Kirly breathed, still coming to terms with her success. "You have risen! Finally!"

"Do not address me in such a lowly manner, crony," she snarled.

Kirly whimpered and lowered her head to the floor again, grovelling below her feet. Spike watched all this with growing anger, and leapt at the thing using Buffy's body. Even with his speed his movements seemed slow and clumsy. She merely turned back to face him and swatted him away with barely any effort. He slammed into the book shelves with a force that splintered the wood to pieces and broke a few ribs at the same time. He slowly lifted his head from the ground, moaning softly as he pulled a shard of wood from his shoulder. Snarling, he leapt to his feet, only to find himself once more among the debris after trying to attack her again.

Again and again he assailed her, reminding himself that it wasn't her, that she was dead. Each and every time he was flung back just as effortless, until whatever was in her body tired with the game. When Spike had leapt at her, instead of knocking him back she grabbed him by the neck and held him aloft.

"Stubborn thing, aren't you?" she murmured, her black eyes glittering in amusement. "Or maybe just stupid."

"Sorry, love," Spike returned. "'M not only stubborn and stupid, but I'm damn impossible to get rid of."

She laughed a cold heartless chuckle that sent chills down the spine of the many vampires in the room. Vampires that seemed to instantaneously combust into dust, leaving a layer of grime in the air. When it settled Spike saw Angel, Faith and Oz- in wolf form- standing side by side, stakes ready.

"'Bout time, Peaches, Faithy," he muttered. She gripped his neck tighter, then seemed to think twice and dropped him.

"I do not need to waste time with mere mortals. Come," she said to Kirly. "You have served me well. Give me the knife."

Miss Kirly rose to her feet, trembling slightly, and offered the knife on her two palms. The thing in Buffy's body picked it up tenderly, almost sacredly, and smiled.

Faith stopped short upon seeing Buffy. "What the… I thought Buffy was dead!"

Angel did not have an answer. "I-I don't know."

Spike glanced up at them from the floor, his eyes glistening. His cheeks were wet, but he didn't notice. "She is," he said blankly, the life having gone out of him. "That isn't her. It's-"

"Him," Angel breathed, and Spike closed his eyes and nodded.

"How?" Faith asked.

"By the blood of your dear Slayer," Kirly sneered. "The Slayer's essence comes from the greatest Under Lord to be known, and only with this missing blood can He become whole again and take form."

Faith's blood rushed to her face in fury and she hurled her stake at the Watcher bitch. A hand shot out and caught it only a mere centimetre from her chest, and He- in Buffy's body- smirked. The stake had left His hand before anyone could see it, and it flew through the air and embedded in Oz's chest. He cried out, clutching the wound, and fell to the floor.

Then He held out her hand to Kirly, who took it in a stunned stupor, and the two disappeared in a whirl of black soot.

Angel and Faith rushed to Oz's side, but it was too late. Blood pooled on the library floor, and the red liquid trickled from his mouth. His lifeless eyes were open and glazed, and Angel gently shut them. Faith looked up and caught the brunette vampire's eye. She had seen him angry before. She had seen him afraid before. But never had she seen such fear and fury that permeated his brown eyes right then. Angel was one angry vampire, and someone was about to pay.

Spike winced when he realized the kid was dead, and remembered that he was dating Willow Rosenburg. He dreaded the thought of her finding out. It was something he would not even wish upon his enemies, and now this girl would have to bury her boyfriend.

All thoughts of Buffy were pushed to the back of his head. Now was not the time to grieve for his lost love. After this was over, when he had gotten the unconscious form of Xander to the hospital wing and assured the safety of the other students, not to mention the world, then he would have time to mourn her. Not now, though. He picked up Xander and followed Angel from the library, Faith bringing up the rear. Her eyes never left the limp body in Angel's arms.

Xander suddenly jerked in his arms. "N-No! Buffy!"

Spike placed him back on his feet, supporting him by slinging his arm over Spike's shoulder. "'ey. You're alright now, 'k?"

"N-no…you said it before! You said it!"

"Said what, you idiot?"

Xander pulled away from his grip. "And the only way to save her is to kill her!" he cried, repeating the foretold words. Spike stared at him in shock. "You said it. You said it before."

"And?" Spike pushed.

Angel stopped, having overheard. "The only way to save her… That's it! We kill her- at least, the thing in her body- and we can save her!"

Spike's head began to ring, and he kept a tight check on his hopes. Despite all his attempts, though, they slipped in. Maybe, just maybe, they did have a chance after all…


	30. Glimpses

_Finally, I've posted the 30th chapter. Go me! Thanks for all your amazing reviews. They've inspired me to no end and forced me to get off my butt and have some quality writing time. Anyway, this will most likely be the second last chapter for this fic, although I'm thinking about an epilogue. I haven't decided yet. And this chappie was one of my favourites to write. Hopefully you'll see why. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 30   
**  
They were near. He could feel it. It didn't bother Him as much as it should, for there was nothing they could do now to stop Him. He was about to turn the world inside out, upside down and on its head with nothing more than a drop of His blood. His blood, the Slayer's blood- it was one and the same. And He was going to use it to open the Mouth of Hell- the door to His home for the past few centuries. He had a few grudges He wanted to repay the world, and more than a few friends who wished to join Him. He laughed, enjoying the girlish giggle that it came out as. Tonight, He was going to celebrate.

* * *

Willow stared at her boyfriend's body. He had been laid out on the hospital bed, his face almost as pale as the white sheets. His chest had been bound and covered in gauze, although she couldn't see it as it was hidden by the thick blanket enveloping his body. She didn't think she would ever be as pained as when she thought Buffy was dead, but this- a sharp, stabbing pain in her heart and empty, hollow stomach- was something she never wanted to feel again. She felt empty, hollow, devoid... She had worn herself out and used all her tears a few minutes ago, and she just stood there, staring at the white lips she had kissed so many times. Tears began to stream down her cheeks again, and a racking sob escaped her lips.  
  
Warm arms wrapped around her waist drawing her back into a hug. She glanced up to see Cordelia gazing at her, the brunette's own eyes wet with tears. Somewhere beneath the grief she was surprised that it was Cordelia who was comforting her. They had never been the best of friends; even in the last few months they only kept each other's company in favour of being alone. There was no pity in Cordelia's eyes; only empathy for the loss of Willow's boyfriend, the loss of a friend. Willow allowed Cordelia's arms to support her, and she collapsed into her friend's embrace, crying freely into her chest.  
  
Cordelia struggled to control her own grief, knowing that if she lost control she couldn't console Willow, and the redhead needed soothing more than she did. She held the sobbing girl, silent tears falling from her own eyes. Her gaze flickered to the other side of the room, and she watched over the unconscious body of the man she loved.  
  
She had never told Xander that she loved him. He had told her plenty of times and she had no doubt he meant it, but there had always been a niggling doubt in the back of her mind which stopped her from returning the intimate three words. She vowed to herself that she would tell him as soon as he woke up, because she couldn't bare the thought of losing him like Willow had lost Oz and know that she hadn't told him.  
  
Willow slid from her arms and ran from the room. Cordelia was about to go after her but Tara held her back.  
  
"Stay with him," she said. "I'll watch over Willow."  
  
Cordy nodded and moved to his bedside. She reached out and slipped her hand into his, clutching it to her lips. She couldn't bare the thought of living without him.

* * *

"She's not lost yet."  
  
"Yes, she is."  
  
"You can still save her!"  
  
"By killing her?"  
  
"God damn it, Spike! Pull yourself together. We've got to stop Him before He ends the world."  
  
"How? With your pet project over there? A girl who hasn't even been Slayer for an hour yet? All your lackeys are gone on that stupid retreat, Angel, and all we have are two vampires, Glinda, a novice witch, an hour old Slayer and a bunch of bloody terrified kids."  
  
"I know what she said."  
  
"What who said?  
  
"That night in Prague. Drusilla came home early that night moaning about you and killing the one you love. She thought it was her. It wasn't, was it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then you can do it."  
  
"Kill her?"  
  
"Save her! The only way to save her is to kill her. Isn't that what the old lady said?"  
  
"How the hell..."  
  
"You talk in your sleep. And Xander said it before. Just think a moment, Spike. If you kill her you'll save her. But she's not herself now, so if you must kill the thing that's taken over her body. It could mean she'll return to normal."  
  
"Or it could mean she'll die along with it and save from ending the world."  
  
"Your choice, Spike."

* * *

The time was almost ripe; one hour, and He would be free. Free of this suffocating body, and free of the torment of flourishing life on a planet that should be screaming in agony and suffering. He watched as his minions scuttled around Him, preparing the ritual that would bring Hell on Earth, and gave a nod of approval. His most loyal subject stood by his side, overlooking the frantic scramble.  
  
"It won't be long now, my Lord."  
  
"No," he said, turning to face the woman he regarded as the only human- however small the amount of her that still was human- to earn his praise. She was gazing at the preparations with something akin to desire in her gaze. His lips turned upward in what could be called a smile. 

"Not long at all."

* * *

Fred raced up the stairs of ASG and shoved the huge doors open, glancing about wildly before settling her gaze on Spike.  
  
"Spike!" she breathed, relieved that he was okay. "What happened?"  
  
"Watcher's attacked," he replied. "Kirly's the traitor, Oz is dead, and Buffy's gone."  
  
Fred gaped, trying to wrap her mind around the news. Kirly? A traitor? A student dead? She couldn't remember which one was Oz, but it didn't matter. She felt it, the way she felt every time she received the news of death. But Spike's last comment grasped her the most. Not because of the terrifying idea of the Slayer lost in the hands of the enemy, although that was bad in itself, but by the way he had delivered it. His voice had lowered, trembled just the slightest, and his voice had held a touch of questioning, as though every time he said it he was trying to understand it. She realized then that he loved Buffy, and was slowly coming to terms with his disappearance. She needed to work fast to keep him together, because he needed to be sane if they were to get the Slayer back. And save the world from going to Hell, she added silently to herself.

* * *

Cordelia sleepily lifted her head from the hospital bed, realizing that she must have fallen asleep beside Xander's bed. She glanced over at him and saw that he was still resting. Gently lifting her hand, she stroked the side of his face, her fingers softly grazing over the bruise on his cheek.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her head, and was thrown away from the bed. Cordelia slammed into the wall and crumpled to the ground, but she never noticed. Clutching her head, she howled in agony as scenes and words and emotions were forced into her head as a powerful and painful slide show.  
  
Angel heard the scream from his office and reached the hospital wing in less than five seconds. He found Cordelia convulsing on the floor, and restrained her flailing limbs. He hugged her body to his in a firm embrace, desperately seeking answers for her state.  
  
The vision gradually receded, leaving her a whimpering and quivering mess. She opened her eyes and glared up at the roof. "A simple letter would have been enough. Better yet, what about e-mail?"  
  
"Cordelia...?"  
  
She jumped in surprise as she found herself in the vampire's arms.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
"What was that?" he asked, concerned.  
  
"Vision."  
  
"And?"  
  
She sighed. "We're in trouble."

* * *

Faith stood opposite the two vampires, Cordelia and Fred, and wondered if they had managed to hit their heads in the last hour. Because surely they weren't serious about the plan they just proposed, were they? They stared back at her calmly, waiting for a reaction of some sort. She was somewhat relieved that Buffy may still live, yet reluctant to put much effort behind the hope. If what they said ended up being true, then they could save Buffy and stop Satan from ending the world. The very tiny possibility that their plan may work was forcing her to reconsider her aforementioned belief that they were insane. She didn't consider it for long.  
  
"Are you four insane?" she asked, scooting onto the kitchen bench and trying to eat something solid. The apple refused to sit still in her stomach and she gave up, tossing it into the bin.  
  
"Nah," Spike replied. "More like desperate."  
  
Faith saw that he was indeed desperate. It hadn't occurred to her until now why Spike had always trailed Buffy during school hours, and how Buffy's eyes always drifted towards the shadows in a hope of seeing him. She was surprised that Spike should fall for the Slayer, and the Slayer fall for a vampire. Born enemies, and now they were in love. It was almost too poetic for Faith. Still, she didn't want to give up the last chance of saving Buffy while hope remained, so she hopped off the bench and nodded.  
  
"Right then," she said. "Let's do this."

* * *

Angel gunned down on the accelerator, revving the engine. His black convertible leapt forward with a burst of smoke and just missed the rising garage door. He jerked the car left and the wheels skidded on the tarmac, causing it to swerve. He straightened it and sped up, ignoring Tara's gasps, Faith's repeated "kill me and I'll come back and haunt you", Cordelia's wails and Willow's 'oh God, oh God, oh God". Spike sprawled across the front seat beside him, sucking on a cigarette and blankly staring out the window, and Fred gazed at the scenery passing by with disinterest.  
  
Angel had made this drive many times, but the company was considerably different this time around. Faith and Willow were newcomers to the drive, and Tara usually joined Gunn and Connor in the pick up. Spike always drove his DeSoto with Fred on the back, and Angel's question of why he hadn't this time, was answered the instant he saw Spike shakily lift the cigarette to his mouth. His hands, normally still, were trembling; a sure sign that the blonde vampire was afraid. It was something Angel rarely saw, and he had only seen it once in the last one hundred years. Ever since they had been souled. He remembered that night with such clarity that it still played across his mind like a movie scene. The blinding pain that had seared his very core. The bright lights that had flashed through his mind. The mind-numbing guilt that pervaded his heart. And he remembered Spike begging to join him. The sound of Spike pleading to regain his soul while standing over the newly re-souled Angelus, beseeching the Romanian gypsies to give him what he had lost all those years ago to Drusilla. All he had wanted was the chance to feel again, feel love and pain like he had when he was in possession of a soul. And the gypsies had taken pity on the pathetic excuse of a vampire and cursed him also, damning the both of them to eternity of guilt and suffering.  
  
As Angel sped through the city, he recalled the last time he had seen Spike this terrified. It had been eighty years after the night they had been cursed, and both of them were strolling down a random street in Texas. Angel had sensed fear, the innocent, confused fear of a child, and the both of them had sprinted across the street and into a dark alley. A vampire had been feasting on a small girl, barely five years into her life, and Angel had quickly dispatched the vamp, allowing the girl to slump into Spike's ready arms. He had laid the child onto the cobbled ground and searched her face for any sign of life. The girl's eyes had popped open, and she smiled happily up at him.  
  
_"You saved me from the bad man,"_ she had said, her voice a soft, Southern drawl, a sing-song melody. _"Will you tuck me into bed now?"  
_  
He had lifted her limp body into his arms and raced into the night, leaving Angel to try and keep up with him. He had found the blond vampire waiting nervously in the hospital waiting room, shakily playing with the edges of his duster. His fearful eyes had lifted to Angel's and he spoke softly.  
  
_"Her name is Fred,"_ he had said.  
  
Angel glanced at the brunette behind him, smiling sadly. Spike always managed to lose himself in the small, petite ones, as though he was afraid they couldn't defend themselves and needed him there to protect them. First Fred, his assumed sister, and now Buffy, the one girl he had loved since Dru. Shooting his gaze toward Spike, he saw that Spike staring intently ahead. Swinging his eyes forward, Angel saw his focus point.  
  
The Hollywood sign. It stood desolate, silent, looming on top of the hill; a perfect cover for the fiery Hellmouth that lay beneath it. 


	31. H' for Hellmouth

****

_Well, here we are. This is the last chapter, not counting the epilogue, which is only small. Hopefully this does justice to the rest of the story, and ties things up. Happy reading!_

* * *

**Chapter 31**

****

Once they reached the Hollywood sign, Angel led them to the "H" which stood over the Hellmouth. The trapdoor hadn't been hard to find, but the leap down to the darkness below was too much for an ordinary human, as Spike found out when he jumped in and didn't hit the ground until seconds later. He was forced to catch the others one by one, until Angel followed them in. Tara summoned a small globe of light to show the way, and after much searching they found the small tunnel. The maze of tunnels were hell to weave through, but when they finally reached the crevice where the Hellmouth stood many of them wished they were still in the labyrinth. They remained silent and observed Buffy as she barked orders and incarcerated vampires who did not follow them. They were preparing for a ritual of some sort, and it involved a hell of a lot of blood. Buckets of it actually, as there was a continuous line of vampires dragging heavy buckets of blood to the edge of the mouth. They were poured into four large funnels that directed the blood onto the rock-strewn walls of the Hellmouth, coating it red.

The time was near, and neither Angel nor Spike had any idea what to do.

"We could crawl around the edges," Spike offered, but Angel shook his head.

"They'd smell us," he replied.

"We could all run down there and hope that one of us gets to Buffy before the ritual starts."

"We'd all be dead before we reached the mouth," Angel said, shaking his head.

"We can bribe her with booze and cigarettes?"

Angel glanced at him and didn't bother with a reply. There seemed no logical way they could prevent this apocalypse from happening. Unless…

"Need some help?"

They turned around, and found Wesley holding a battle axe, ready for action. Gunn, Connor and the other hunters and teachers grouped behind him, bringing the total to around thirty. They all clutched weapons of some sort, a mixture of swords, axes, knives and crossbows. Their expressions were hard, determined, fierce. They were ready for battle. But it was the grieved expression on Giles' face that captivated Spike. He stood tall beside Wesley, grasping a sword, staring straight ahead. His mouth was slightly agape, the lower lip trembling in fear, horror and anger.

He saw his Slayer, barking orders to the minions scrambling around her, the hard, cold glint never leaving her eyes. She stood proud, her mouth pursed in a thin line, which seemed an attempt at a smile. The anger rushed through him in waves. That this thing should use his Slayer as a pawn to destroy the world tore him apart. The memory of her teasing smile, the happy banter and fierce fighting struck him hard, and Giles gripped the sword tightly to keep from yelling. There was no time for grieving; later, after they defeated Satan, he would be able to grieve all he liked. He pushed the glasses further up his nose and set his mouth in a grim frown.

"'Bout bloody time," Spike groused.

"The training program was false," Giles said. "It was lucky we were able to realize that the lecturers weren't human before we entered the retreat."

"We know," Angel said, glancing sadly at the Watcher.

"We need to move now," Wesley interrupted, instantly becoming the hard, efficient leader that had led them all into many battles. "Tara and Willow will position themselves on the other side of the crevice. Karla will lead you there. Tara, we're going with plan forty-two, so make sure Willow and the others are ready."

Willow and Tara followed a brunette witch and several others back into the tunnels.

"Section five will spread themselves around the edge, concealed from sight. Make sure your crossbows are fully loaded and read to go."

Around ten people nodded simultaneously and moved out. Cordelia lifted her hand.

"Uh, Wes?" she said hesitantly. "I've been practising with the crossbow. I can help them…"

He nodded and she grabbed the only remaining crossbow before following the others.

Wesley glanced at the remaining people. Two vampires, a Slayer, two Watchers, and thirteen fighters. Eighteen people. He peered over the edge again, at the numerous vampires milling about. The odds were against them, but he had faith in the witches, and nearly half would be taken out by the sharp shooters.

"The rest of you get ready to slay," Wesley said, flexing his arms as he lifted his axe.

They waited anxiously as time drifted past, the sunrise looming closer. Wesley hoped they were ready. Because if they weren't, they wouldn't even have a chance to muse on what they could have done better. They'd already be dead.

Suddenly, the demon in Buffy's body clapped her hands in glee. "Soon!" She laughed, delighting in the sound of her own girlish voice.

"Now!" Wesley bellowed, his voice harshly echoing across the cavern.

The dark cave suddenly lit up with the flaring balls of light the witches sent into the mass of vampires. Screams of agony and shrieks of pain could be heard by those around the edges, and a wave of arrows flew through the air. They connected with their targets with a dull thud, causing a muted rasp as the vampires exploded. Figures were suddenly scrambling towards the smaller tunnels, trying to escape the dusty end their companions had met. They were met by angry humans and swinging swords. The first dozen to reach each entrance were decapitated in quick succession, but then the vamps began to realize that the fireballs had ceased, and few arrows were flying. There was no more panicked fleeing from the centre of the huge dome, but there no escaping either. They formed a thick circle around Buffy, who screeched in fury.

Wesley, who shared a tunnel with Fred and Connor, advanced, signalling the others to come forward. The eighteen fighters were quickly joined by the archers. It evened out the odds a bit, but by the look of things, the vamps left were no fledglings. They were confidently sneering at the humans, and Wesley felt a twitch of doubt.

Spike had fought desperately, killing his own kind with a fierceness Gunn had never seen before. Usually Spike enjoyed sparring for a bit before the kill, preferring to play with his prey. But not today. He was here for one reason only, and that reason was Buffy. The world be damned, because he couldn't care less what happened to it. His eyes were on her, never straying a bit.

The mini-army surrounded the rock podium and the vampires, feeling victory just around the corner. That feeling was lost though, when they heard a snarl from behind them. Angel turned around ever so slowly. Around thirty vampires stood behind them, blocking off their escape routes. Angel's unbeating heart sank. They were outnumbered by about thirty, and they all possessed more speed, agility and strength then his own soldiers. But he knew they wouldn't give up hope. They never did. After so many years of fighting beside them he had never known them to give up. Not even on the edge of an apocalypse did they falter.

And then Spike had let rip a roar so fierce and full of fury that many vampires shivered. The venom dripped from the noise, and none of them wanted to find themselves facing this creature. Spike lunged forward and dragged a vampire shrieking from the ranks. None other moved to help him as Spike tore his head from his body. The dust settled, and then the human army leapt into action. At first chaos reigned. Nothing could be seen beyond dust and fallen bodies. And then some sort of order was formed, and the ASG soldiers, students and teachers slowly worked their way out of the trap they had walked into.

Spike wondered what he would do once he reached the thing in Buffy's body. Would he be able to kill it? Or would he see her in front of him, and fall apart like he had wanted to do since her lifeless body had hit the ground. Twisting sideways to avoid a fatal blow, Spike glimpsed her livid frown and dark eyes. Sunrise was only moments away. If he could only reach her…

_Spike.___

His head snapped up at the voice in his head.

_It's me, __Willow__._

He glanced up at the ledge and saw her standing rigid, barely visible within the shadows.

_Go to her. Now!_

A heavy, mystical force hit him suddenly, and he saw that a path had been cleared in front of him. He barely gave Willow another thought as he took the chance offered him, and seconds later he was finally in front of her. Or Him. Whatever it was, it was angry. And it was staring straight at Spike.

"What can you do?" He taunted, taking a small step closer. "I can squash you like the annoying gnat you are, vampire."

"I remember," he replied. "I can still feel my ribs healing."

"Yet you come back for more?" He chuckled.

"No, I came back for her."

His chuckling ceased. "She is gone," he hissed.

"I think you missed the fine print," Spike drawled, a smirk forming on his lips.

The smile infuriated Him, and he struck out. Spike easily dodged it.

"You see," Spike continued. "There's this girl." Again, He lashed out, and Spike effortlessly ducked it. "And I found myself falling for her." A foot grazed his abdomen as he leapt back. "But I'd been told- bloody centuries ago, mind you- that if I loved her, she'd die." They continued to dance; Spike remained on defence, narrowly avoiding all strikes coming his way. "Soddin' tragic, I said back then. Didn't really care much. But now, with this soul stuck in my chest, I _do _care." Another jab, but Spike quickly ducked. "And it just so happens that this girl is the Slayer and that this girl is the one you killed. So as you can probably tell, I'm one pissed of vampire at the moment, and being pissed off just makes me really angry. And being really angry-" Spike suddenly stopped moving away and caught His fist with his own. They stared at each other, faces only inches away. "-makes me really strong."

Spike shoved Him back, and He stumbled. He gazed at Spike, cocking His head slightly in curiosity, as though trying to understand what could give him this new-found strength. Spike calmly stared back, until he heard a slight scuffle behind him. Whirling around, he saw Kirly bringing a stake down towards him and his only thought was of joining his love in death. But the killing blow never came. Faith flew out of nowhere, tackling the old "Watcher" around the waist and knocking her to the ground.

"Who'd've thought I'd be saving your ass, Spikey?" she said, grinning.

"Not me," Spike returned. "Now go save your own ass, Faithy."

Faith was forcefully thrown off Kirly, and she rolled a few feet before leaping to her feet. "Will do," she threw over her shoulder before assuming the fighting stance she ha seen Buffy do so often. She grinned playfully at the century-old hag. Then they both attacked, and Spike returned his whole attention to the figure behind him.

He leered at Spike. "There's nothing a touch of Slayer's blood can't fix, is there, _vampire_?"

Spike tried to ignore the guilt rising inside him. He had not drunk from a human in nearly a hundred years, and his refusal to do so now had been avid. But the group had been desperate, _he'd _been desperate, and desperate times called for desperate measures. They needed something that would give him the strength and speed to face Him, and in the end it had been the only way. He had hated the idea at first, but the sweet thought of human blood had given him some amount of perverse pleasure, and the demon had revelled in it. The two puncture holes in Faith's neck were proof of that.

Spike felt an uncomfortable tingling in his gut, and he knew the reason. Dawn was moments away, and he had to act fast.

He dropped his sword.

His fist came hard and fast, connecting with Spike's skull with enough force to split a human head. Spike merely staggered back, feeling the warm trickle of blood down his face. Another fist slammed into his chest, breaking his sternum and a couple of ribs. He felt the painful snap and the agonising slice of bone through muscle and skin. He stood still. A small foot kicked his left leg from beneath him, and as the fibular cracked and broke he fell to his knees. Gazing up at his attacker, Spike was a bloody mess.

"The smug vampire wasn't a good look for you," He sneered.

Gazing behind Him, Spike saw Faith deliver a punishing kick to Kirly's stomach and grabbing her opponent's head in both hands, the Slayer snapped her neck. Faith ripped the ancient dagger from the dead woman's fingers.

Above the fight, on the rock ledge, Willow's eyes turned black and her head snapped back as she incoherently muttered words she didn't know she knew. Suddenly, the roof of the cavern was torn open, and sunlight streamed in. Agonized screams filled the dome as vampires exploded to dust all over the cave. The humans lowered their weapons, collectively sighing in relief. Spike was grateful that the podium was still covered in shadows, and despite his external dislike for the older vampire, hoped that Angel had managed to get to shade before the roof caved in.

"No!" He bellowed. Turning to the bloodied vampire, He backhanded Spike, sending him face first into the dirt. Fingers dug into the back of his neck, and lifted him up, leaving his feet dangling a good two feet above the ground. Spike saw His murderous glare through one eye, the other forced shut by the purple, throbbing welt. Briefly glancing down, he noticed that he was hanging over the gaping Hellmouth. He felt the sweltering heat from the eternal fires below, and caught the distinct stench of burning human flesh.

"You're too late," He hissed. "Nothing can save you now."

He saw the knife hurtling through the air towards him, stained with Faith's blood. "This can."

He snatched the knife from the air and drove it into His heart with all the strength he could muster.

The screams were unlike anything ever heard by human or vampire ears. The high-pitched wail was indescribable, other than it permeated every being's soul within hearing distance. Everyone dropped to their knees, clutching their heads, trying to drown out the shrieks.

Spike writhed in Satan's grip. His eardrums burst, and blood dripped from his ears. The skin on his neck was blistering from the devil's grip, and his broken bones protested when he moved. He fell still, overcome by weariness and grief. All he wanted was for the pain to be over. All he wanted was to see Buffy's beautiful smile, to see her eyes light up as they land on him. All he wanted was to touch her again, to brush his lips lovingly on hers. All he wanted was her.

A blinding flash erupted from the Hellmouth, slamming into Satan, and a fiery, ghost-like figure was pulled from the small vessel. It was dragged away from the body, its arms clawing at the air, screaming in sheer fury. Then it plunged into the mouth of Hell, and everything fell silent. The bottomless pit was black; the fires had ceased once the Hellmouth had closed. Sunlight filtered into the grotto, alighting on the weary figures of war standing on the dusty battlefield. A tiny bird fluttered through the hole, swooping in circles, then flew back into the daylight.

The fingers around Spike's throat loosened, and the last thing he saw before plummeting into the dark depths was the clear green eyes on the woman he loved.

* * *

She opened her eyes. Her body ached all over, and the surface she laid on was hard and rough against her skin. She sat up gingerly, blinking rapidly. There were so many people staring up at her, all clutching weapons and sporting injuries and wound. Some lay dead on the ground, bodies twisted in unnatural poses. The freedom, the peace, the soft light…it was gone. Was she in Hell?

She heard a soft grunting, and crawled to the edge of the gaping hole. She squinted, trying to pierce the thick darkness. She could make out a blurry outline of someone, but alarms rang in her head and body, warning her of danger. She scrambled back, frightened by the unfamiliar feeling.

"Help…"

She startled at the pleading voice, and then recognised the word. It was filled with weariness and pleading, and it forced her back toward the edge. Her eyes had adjusted to the shadows now, and she saw him clinging to the cliff face. She felt a warn heat low in her stomach, and soon a comforting tingle in her blood had overrun the prickle of fear. Without realizing it, she reached down and offered her hand. Another hand grasped onto it, and she almost gasped at the spark the contact created. She hauled the figure onto the ledge, scuttling back as the injured man became visible.

He stared at her, his eyes wide and unbelieving. She felt herself blush at his gaze, and wondered why. He reached out hesitantly, drawing back when his fingers were inches fro her face. And then he touched her cheek.

She gasped as the memories hit her. Who she was, what she was, where she was… She remembered everything. She remembered Spike.

"God, Buffy…"

Spike fell to his knees, tears sliding down his cheeks. She realized that she too was crying, and she knelt before him. He wrapped his arms around her lithe body, pulling her tightly to his chest. He ignored the pain racing through his body. None of that mattered. Buffy was here, alive, in his arms…There was no more pain.

Buffy felt into his embrace, allowing his strong grasp to hold her up. She was here, alive, in his arms… And she knew that this was better than Heaven.

**To be concluded…**

* * *


	32. She doesn't compare herself to other Sla...

**Epilogue**

She doesn't compare herself to other Slayers anymore.

There is no need. Her insecurities and self doubts are gone, and she knows what she can do. What she is capable of. She is in control of this weapon. It does what it must to kill them and keep her alive. It is enough.

There is no reason. She has done something none other before her has. She has died, and yet she still lives. Others rest once their Calling comes to an end, yet she fights on. Her short hiatus in Heaven will forever be with her, and she knows the pain of being alive will fade.

There is no point. She is no longer the one girl in all the world, Chosen to fight the vampires. There is another to share her burden, and she is grateful. None other has walked during the day with friends, and slain during the night with friends. She won't rest until she knows they are safe.

There is hope. She has someone- a vampire, no less- who loves her, who she can love. She has friends who watch her back, who walk beside her in the darkness. She is never alone.

She doesn't compare herself to other Slayers anymore.

**The End**

* * *

_I can't believe it's over! After an epic 31 chapters (and drabble-like epilogue), this fic has come to an end. A huge thanks to everyone who left a review and kept me writing. You guys are the reason I post my stories! Special thanks to **ms trick, Courtney37, PhoenixMoon13, DragonKatGal, Veggie-babu-chan **and** chazza.** You guys rock! _


End file.
